- A three-year-old girl has been rescued after she was dangled out of a 5th floor window by her mother.
- The mother was arrested and taken into custody.
- Rescuers abseiled down the building.
A three-year-old girl has been rescued after her mother dangled her out of a fifth floor window in Umbilo on Friday.
According to the Ethekwini metro police department, they were called to assist a complaint about a child being dangled out of a window on Teignmouth Road.
When they arrived at the scene, the Durban Flying Squad with the assistance of the building's body corporate chairperson, began to engage with the mother through a locked entrance gate.
"While the rescue team set up a high angle rope system from the eighth floor, to conduct a pick-off grab, the negotiators took over the verbal engagement with the mother, who moved away from the window to talk with the negotiators," Ethekwini district spokesperson Captain Carmen Rhynes said.
She said that with the rescuers in place on the eighth floor window ledge, the mother slammed the door to the passage, cutting off their view of her.
The mother returned to the window and again dangled the girl out of the window while screaming at the rescuers.
"The high angle team immediately began to abseil down to the open window while the special task force simultaneously breached the apartment."
The mother and child were both rescued.
Rhynes said the 36-year old mother was arrested, while her daughter was taken into the care of police negotiators.
An attempted murder docket was opened at Umbilo police station.
Warrant Officer Dave Steyn from SAPS Durban Search and Rescue said: "Through the professional team work from all units involved, we managed to rescue and save the little girl as well as apprehend the mother. A big thank you to all those involved in the rescue, it is a privilege to work with such dedicated and committed members."
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