Woman arrested after bus driver finds toddler in suitcase
FILE - Generic image of suitcases stacked in the luggage compartment of a bus. Getty Images
A woman in New Zealand is facing charges after a child was discovered in her suitcase as she was traveling on a bus.
Local Detective Inspector Simon Harrison said the toddler was found in a bus luggage compartment on Sunday, Aug. 3.
Police were called that afternoon after a passenger asked for access to the luggage compartment during a planned stop.
Local perspective:
The stop was in Kaiwaka, which is about 60 miles northwest of Auckland.
Local perspective:
As the driver was helping access the luggage compartment, he became concerned when he noticed a bag moving. When the driver opened the suitcase, they discovered the two-year-old girl.
The girl was said to be very hot, but otherwise appeared to be unharmed. She is undergoing medical assessment at a nearby hospital.
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What they're saying:
"We would like to acknowledge and commend the bus driver, who noticed something wasn’t right and took immediate action, preventing what could have been a far worse outcome," Harrison said.
Police didn’t say why the girl had been in the suitcase, or the child’s relationship to the woman.
What's next:
The 27-year-old woman has been charged and is due in court Monday, Aug. 4.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from a New Zealand Police Aug. 3, 2025, press release. This story was reported from Detroit.