Manenberg police are on the hunt for a young mother who kidnapped her own two-year-old daughter after the courts removed the child from her care.
The mother of Rozanne Appollis, 21, says she fears for the life of her sickly grandchild as Rozanne is known to neglect the toddler.
Ouma Tessa, 37, has pleaded with her daughter to return the child to her Ruth Court home after they disappeared on 21 September.
“When Rozanne fell pregnant, she came to me and I helped her through the pregnancy,” says Tessa.
“But shortly after she gave birth, she just disappeared with [her daughter] and went to a farm in Southfield where she did drugs and other things.
“They were smoking tik and mandrax and other stuff and [the girl] became very sick.”
Tessa says the child, who was only a few months old at the time, was diagnosed with severe bronchitis and struggled to breathe.
“Her chest was very bad and I sought medical help for her because Rozanne never did and she got better,” she says.
The hartseer ouma says Rozanne would frequently disappear with the baby over the past two years and each time she returned, the little girl was sick.
“Last year the child was so sick, she ended up in the ICU at Red Cross Hospital for a week after she again suffered chest and heart problems.
“The social workers stepped in and questioned us and she denied everything.
“In November last year, we went to the family court in Wynberg where the magistrate ordered that the child must be in my care and she has two years to improve or they will leave the child with me until she is 18.”
Tessa says on 21 September, she was running errands and when she returned home, she was told that Rozanne had run away with the child.
“We looked everywhere and couldn’t find her, so we reported the case to the police.
“I am very worried about the child’s health and I am begging Rozanne just to bring her home.”
Manenberg SAPS commander, Brigadier Sanele Zama, confirms they are looking for Rozanne and says anyone with information is asked to call Sergeant Natasha Landers on 082 469 7628.
monique.duval@inl.co.za