A woman in New Zealand was arrested on Sunday for child neglect after a shocking discovery on a bus—authorities say a 2-year-old girl was found alive inside a suitcase stored in the luggage compartment.
According to Detective Inspector Simon Harrison, the incident happened during a scheduled stop in Kaiwaka, north of Auckland. A passenger had requested access to the luggage area, prompting the bus driver to check the bags. The driver noticed movement from one of the suitcases and, upon opening it, found the young child inside. The toddler was reportedly overheated but otherwise physically unharmed.
It remains unclear how long the child had been in the luggage compartment or the exact route the bus was taking.
The child was immediately taken to a hospital, where she was still under observation on Sunday night.
Police arrested a woman in connection with the case and charged her with child ill-treatment or neglect. She is expected to appear in court on Monday. Her identity has not been made public.
Bus company InterCity confirmed the incident involved one of its buses. Children under 3 can travel for free on an adult’s lap, according to the company’s policy.
