Police search for children

Two small children at the centre of a sordid family tug-o’-war have gone missing. Matters reached a critical stage on Thursday when the children’s mentally disturbed mother and unemployed father, aided by police, removed the children from the custody of their grandmother in Richards Bay. According to the distraught grandmother, she is in possession of a domestic violence interdict against her son-in-law. The court ordered the children and their mother to stay in her care. Despite the court order, the children and parents were dropped off by police on the N2 highway. The parents fled before they could be interviewed by local social services, who were scheduled to investigate the matter for possible foster placement with the grandmother. The children have not been seen since. Both children are considered at risk. The plight of the two year-old boy and eleven month-old girl is well-known to the Polokwane welfare department, where the children were born. Prior to the interdict application, a social worker told the grandmother they received daily complaints about the conditions and care of the children and that they were going to be removed. She and her husband then intervened. According to Communications Officer Captain Debbie Ferreira, the police are following all leads to return the children safely.