A foster mother in Durban North is fighting for justice after her foster child was abducted by the biological mother.
Image: File
A biological mother, who does not have legal custody of her daughter, allegedly kidnapped the child — a pupil at a Durban North school — by presenting falsified documents to teachers, claiming she had court permission to care for the child.
Police have yet to locate the child after the mother allegedly used an e-hailing service vehicle to flee from the Durban North police station with the schoolgirl on Friday.
The principal of the school had taken the mother and the child to the police station to verify the authenticity of the documents used by the mother to assert her claim for custody.
The biological mother is currently involved in a court battle with the foster parent, who holds legal custody of the child.
On the day of the incident, the foster mother received a call from a teacher at the school the child attends, informing her that the biological mother was present with what she claimed was a court order.
The teacher explained to the foster parent that the school needed to verify the legality of the document before taking any further action.
While the principal was engaging with a police officer at the station regarding the court documents in question, the mother allegedly orchestrated her escape.
The principal noticed what had happened and alerted a police officer, while also informing the foster mother.
“Frantic calls were made to the mother, but she assured the police officer that she would return with the child,” a source told the Daily News.
The incident has once again raised concerns about court orders and their enforcement. In this case, the foster mother holds a valid court mandate to care for the minor until a court date set for June 2026.
The foster parent has since laid charges against the mother and called on authorities to facilitate the safe return of the child.
Legal experts have suggested that cases similar to last week’s incident in Durban North reflect ongoing challenges in family law, particularly regarding adherence to court orders.
Attorney Ntokozo Lonie said the complexity of familial relationships, compounded by emotional decisions, can often lead to distressing situations for all parties involved.
“The mother of the child does not have the right to take the child from school. The school acted improperly in that regard. If the mother claims she has court documents, she needed to present those documents to the principal,” said Lonie.
Police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda had not responded to questions by the time of publication.
DAILY NEWS