A two-year-old girl was discovered alive inside a suitcase stored in the luggage compartment of a long-distance bus in New Zealand on Sunday, prompting a criminal investigation and child welfare intervention.
The bus driver made the shocking discovery during a stop in Kaiwaka, roughly 60 miles north of Auckland, after a passenger requested access to the luggage area. Detecting movement inside a suitcase, the driver opened it and found the toddler inside, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The child was “very hot, but otherwise appeared physically unharmed,” said Detective Chief Inspector Simon Harrison.
She was immediately taken to a local hospital for a full medical assessment, where she remained on Sunday.
A 27-year-old woman, whose identity has not been made public, was arrested and charged with ill-treatment or neglect of a child. She appeared in North Shore District Court on Monday. According to court documents, she had been traveling from Whangarei to Auckland and placed the child in the bus's luggage compartment.
The documents note that the act was “likely to cause adverse effects to health including suffocation, dehydration, carbon monoxide poisoning, heat exhaustion, and psychological trauma.”
The woman’s lawyer requested name suppression and a deferral of plea. She is due to appear in court again on Tuesday. Authorities have also notified child protective services.
Entrada Travel Group, the operator of InterCity, confirmed the incident involved one of its buses.
“Police were called to respond and are investigating the matter. No one was harmed during the incident, and the service resumed,” the company said.
InterCity’s policy states that children under two may travel free on an adult’s lap, while children aged three and over require a ticket and must be accompanied by a guardian.
DCI Harrison praised the bus driver for his quick response, saying it “prevented what could have been a far worse outcome.”
