Latest news with #ImaanSharmar
News24
2 days ago
- News24
Missing Cape Town baby found safe, 37-year-old woman arrested
A newborn baby boy has been found safe days after he was reported missing. He was kidnapped on Saturday in a mall in Bellville. Police have arrested a 37-year-old woman for kidnapping. A 12-day-old baby boy who was kidnapped at a mall in Bellville was found safe at a house in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain, on Monday. Western Cape police spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk said meticulous investigation and an analytical approach to information at the police's disposal led the team to an address in Honolulu Street, where they found the child 'and, in the process, detained a 37-year-old female for kidnapping'. She is expected to appear in the Bellville Magistrate's Court. It was previously reported that the mother of the then 9-day-old baby was at the shopping complex in Bellville when she became nauseous. 'She left the child in the care of a woman who was with her when she went to the bathroom. Upon her return the mother could not locate the woman and her baby,' said Van Wyk. The baby's grandmother, Nabilah Saghar, confirmed that the baby was found and said he was with his parents. 'There are no words to describe the happiness and relief we all feel right now. It's been a tough past few days for the family, but we are so grateful for the police's hard work in finding our little boy,' said Saghar. The baby's mother, Imaan Sharmar, was unavailable at the time of publication.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Mother's plea after 11-day-old baby boy 'snatched at mall' in Cape Town
The mother of a baby boy snatched from a Cape Town mall has begged her son's kidnapper for his safe return. Imaan Sharmar left 11-day-old Mogamat with a woman she believed to be a healthcare worker while she used the bathroom on June 28. But, when the 25-year-old returned, she was horrified to find both her baby and the woman had vanished without a trace. 'I don't know what her intentions were and what she was doing with him in these three days; it has been driving me crazy; I do not know if he drank anything, or what he has been given to drink,' Imann told Cape Argus. 'Does he have clothing on? Is his nappy being changed? Is she hurting him? My mind is running so far away from me, my body is filled with anger. 'Whatever your name is, I don't know if the name you gave me, if it is your real name, please, if you want to do it anonymously, drop him off somewhere safe, with warm clothes on, wrap him in his three blankets, leave him, tip us off where he is. 'I am literally a a point of begging, whoever you are working with, bring him back, he is only a week old, he needs my milk, he needs to be home.' The woman had gained Imaan's trust after she visited her while she was pregnant, pretending to be a community sponsor. The mother of abducted nine day old baby Mogamat Imaad Sharmar who was kidnapped in Middestad, Bellville, Imaan Sharmar, 25, also known as Britney Brandt, appeals for her baby to be returned. Video: Genevieve Serra/Cape Argus — Cape Argus (@TheCapeArgus) June 30, 2025 She reportedly identified herself as 'Chivon' and claimed she was from The Zoe Project in Retreat. The Zoe Project is a well-established NGO that has been providing maternal health care programmes for vulnerable women, girls and babies for roughly 25 years. Dressed in nursing attire, Chivon was keen to register Imaan to a programme that assisted mothers who had given birth, with counselling and skills. On the day of the kidnapping the woman had collected Imaan and her child in an Uber to take them to a workshop at Middestad Mall in Bellville. She said the woman ordered them both a meal and that she started feeling ill shortly after eating. 'As we were sitting, I eventually stood up, handed my child to the woman and threw up inside a bin next to me,' Imaan told News 24. 'The woman had my bag, her bag and my baby on her. When I came out of the toilet, she was gone. I wasn't even in the toilet for five minutes,' she added. But, when when Imaan returned, the woman had vanished. The distraught mother began frantically searching for her baby before calling the police. Western Cape police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said the investigation continues. Founder of The Zoe Project, Tracey Aitken, told News24 that her NGO had no knowledge of the mother of the missing baby nor had it had any dealings with her. Missing Children organisations said the case has similar hallmarks to other recent abductions including that of two-month-old Kai-isha Meniers, who was snatched from her pram outside of a supermarket in 2022. Bianca Van Aswegen, National Co-ordinator for Missing Children SA: 'Similarities to this cases is quite scary, I am thinking is this a new trend, is it linked to illegal adoptions, what is the motive behind these types of crimes, especially people pretending to be a sponsor in the new case or a social worker, to get access to these babies, it might lead to illegal adoptions.'
IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
WATCH: Mother pleads for the safe return of kidnapped baby amid rising adoption syndicate fears
Imaan Sharmar, 25, (middle) the mother of nine-day-old, Mogamat Imaad Sharmar, is supported by her mother, Deborah Brandt (left) and mother-in-law, Nabilah Saghar (right). Image: Genevieve Serra The latest kidnapping of a baby in Cape Town may have raised the lid on a syndicate of backdoor adoptions, where the perpetrators pretend to be sponsors, healthcare workers or social workers, as they prey on unsuspecting mothers. During a heart-wrenching interview with the Cape Argus on Monday, the mother of nine day old Mogamat Imaad Sharmar - Imaan Sharmar, 25, of Strandfontein, also known as Britney Brandt, poured her heart out, begging her son's kidnapper to return him back home safely. The infant was born on June 19 at Mitchell's Plain District Hospital in Lentegeur. He weighed 2.1kg and was the second child born to Imaan, who embraced Islam and has a 3-year-old daughter. On Saturday, June 28, Imaad was kidnapped by a coloured woman, believed to be between the ages of 35 and 40-years-old, who fluently spoke Afrikaans. The young mother said she had gained the woman's trust in May when she was 35 weeks pregnant as she had visited her home using a possible alias and pretended to be a sponsor. Dressed in nursing attire, the suspect was keen to register Imaan to a programme that assisted mothers who had given birth, with counselling and skills. On the day of the kidnapping, Imaan said she was supposed to attend a workshop and that the woman and her traveled from her home in Strandfontein using an Uber to Middestad Mall in Bellville, where a meal from Hungry Lion was shared. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Imaan said the woman had befriended her at her home, under the pretense of doing work as a community sponsor and was armed with documentation 'The first time I met her she came to my home, I never met her before," she said. 'When we went to the mall, it was the second occasion. 'I do not know how she knew where I lived. 'She had my information, we are still trying to find out how. 'The first time she came here, I was 35, almost 36 weeks pregnant. 'She asked me how the pregnancy was going and what services she could offer me. 'It was like the Zoey Project, it was like a post natal programme, providing counselling for postpartum. She said she would be taking classes, art and crafts and how to handle the baby, obviously I did know how to look after a baby as I have another child. ''I have support from both sides of my family. 'After that first occasion, she did mention that she needs to register me in the program and that I could receive products. 'She contacted me in the week to say we will attend a workshop and that the baby had to be with and that it would be at the Civic Centre in Bellville.' She said the woman ordered her and herself a meal to eat at Hungry Lion and that she started feeling ill shortly after eating and was forced to leave the infant with her for a few minutes while using the toilet as she had vomited. She explained when she returned, the woman had vanished and she began the frantic search and contacted the police and centre management for CCTV footage. Missing Children organisations said the case has similar hallmarks to that of missing two-month-old Kai-isha Meniers, who was kidnapped in April 2022 outside of a supermarket in Bishop Lavis. Video footage was released showed how her snatcher walked off with the baby, by a stranger who pretended to be eight-months-pregnant and who had befriended the mother, Francis Meniers by offering to buy and donate clothes to the baby. She told of how she started feeling ill and started vomiting, allowing the woman to keep the baby while she was in the toilet, only to return and find the woman had vanished with him. 'It does not feel right not having him here. The day I gave birth, that was when my whole life was complete,' said Imaan in tears, surrounded by her mother, Deborah Brandt and her mother-in-law, Nabilah Saghar. 'I don't know what her intentions were and what she was doing with him in these three days, it has been driving me crazy, I do not know if he drank anything, or what he has been given to drink. 'Does he have clothing on? is his nappy being changed? 'Is she hurting him? My mind is running so far away from me, my body is filled with anger. 'Whatever your name is, I don't know if the name you gave me, if it is your real name, please, if you want to do it anonymously, drop him off somewhere safe, with warm clothes on, wrap him in his three blankets, leave him, tip us off where he is. 'I am literally a a point of begging, whoever you are working with, bring him back, he is only a week old, he needs my milk, he needs to be home. 'I trusted her that much, she got a way to manipulate me. 'The minute I close my eyes, I see her face and his.' The mother of abducted nine day old baby Mogamat Imaad Sharmar who was kidnapped in Middestad, Bellville, Imaan Sharmar, 25, also known as Britney Brandt, appeals for her baby to be returned. Video: Genevieve Serra/Cape Argus — Cape Argus (@TheCapeArgus) June 30, 2025 Kidnapped, Mogamat Imaad Sharmar, nine days old, was kidnapped. Kidnapped, Mogamat Imaad Sharmar, nine days old, was kidnapped. Image: Genevieve Serra Another is that of fifteen month old Imvano Yeko of Somerset West who was given to an unknown woman who had befriended the caregiver and offered to buy them food and chips. The woman later dropped the infant's sister in Main Road, Nomzamo. Bianca Van Aswegen, National Co-ordinator for Missing Children SA: "Similarities to this cases is quite scary, I am thinking is this a new trend, is it linked to illegal adoptions, what is the motive behind these types of crimes, especially people pretending to be a sponsor in the new case or a social worker, to get access to these babies, it might lead to illegal adoptions. 'This broadens the safety to access information of new mothers, DSD registered social workers, are they being vetted, social workers and sponsors, what is the link there, it opens a lot of questions.' Candice van der Rheede of Western Cape Missing Children also cautioned mothers and said it had similarities. 'We need to start urging people to also stop posting their personal information on social media,' said she said. 'There is no new information in Kai-isha and Imvano's cases, we will not give up. 'There are so many similarities to the Kai-isha case when comparing this case of the abby boy who was abducted." Police spokesperson, Sergeant Wesley Twigg said they were following up on all leads in baby Imaad's case. Police also confirmed there were no new developments in Kai-isha or Imvano's case. Esther Lewis, spokesperson for the Department of Social Development said they were not not aware of illegal adoption syndicates, but urge anyone with information to that effect to report it to the police. 'We urge all prospective adoptive parents to ensure the agency they are using is accredited, 'she said. 'All adoption agencies must be accredited by the national Department of Social Development. This accreditation must be renewed within five years.' Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel. Cape Argus
News24
2 days ago
- News24
‘I just want my baby back' - Cape Town mom pleads for safe return of abducted 11-day-old boy
An 11-day-old baby boy from Strandfontein, Cape Town, has still not been found. He was abducted at a mall in Bellville after his mother said she fell ill and needed to use the bathroom. The woman she was with at the mall claimed to be from an organisation assisting mothers with newborn babies. 'He's just a baby, he needs me. Please bring him back safe and sound.' This is the desperate plea of a Strandfontein Village, Cape Town, mother after her 11-day-old baby boy was abducted inside a mall at the weekend. Imaan Sharmar, 25, last held her baby on Saturday, 28 June, at the Middestad Mall in Bellville, where she and a 'lady' enjoyed a meal together before Sharmar said she was set to attend a workshop with the woman on how to navigate motherhood. Sharmar told News24 that she first met the woman in May this year after she unexpectedly showed up at the family home. READ | Ransom payment of over R100 000 led to rescue of abducted Bloemfontein pupil The woman identified herself as 'Chivon' and claimed she was from The Zoe Project in Retreat. The Zoe Project is a well-established NGO that has been providing maternal health care programmes for vulnerable women, girls and babies for about 25 years. According to Sharmar, the woman first arrived in a nurse's uniform at her family home in Strandfontein, armed with documentation about her (Sharmar). Sharmar said: The information she had [about] me looked legit. I have no idea how she knew where I stayed. She knew I was pregnant and basically only needed to update my personal information. She already knew stuff about me. She said not once did she feel uncomfortable with the woman's questions as she thought she had good intentions. 'I have seen people from The Zoe Project at the Lentegeur Hospital in Mitchells Plain, and so I thought I could trust her. She asked me if I had a birthing plan and told me about how she will be assisting me with the birth and providing me and the baby with care packs,' Sharmar said. Lisalee Solomons/News24 Sharmar said she was told that she would be registered for a postnatal and antenatal programme to join classes with other new mothers. 'It provides counselling and classes that we would be attending, like doing arts and crafts, showing us how to handle the baby. It's not the first time that I have given birth, so I am aware of how to care for a newborn baby. 'I was very keen on joining because I'm going to be on maternity leave, so it would be like an extra hobby for me to do,' said Sharmar. 'Then she left. I never heard or saw her again until Saturday when my son was taken from me,' a sobbing Sharmar said. READ | Kidnapped Gqeberha woman dropped off by abductors, reunited with family She said she could not stop thinking about the day her 2.1kg boy was taken. 'The woman picked me and my baby up with an Uber and we went to the mall in Bellville. She said I had to bring my baby as he would be part of the class I was going to attend that day. 'People need to understand that I did not take my then 9-day-old to the mall for fun and games. I took my boy because I thought I was going to a class for newborn mothers based on what this lady told me,' said Sharmar. She said when they got to the mall, they had a bite to eat at the Hungry Lion eatery. 'We ordered the food and went to sit down and eat. I ate a small [bit] of the food then I started feeling sick and dizzy. I wasn't feeling well at all, so I packed up the food and put it in my bag, and then we went to stand at the entrance waiting for our ride,' said Sharmar. She said her body was getting weaker and she asked the woman with her if they could sit down somewhere as she was feeling off balance. Sharmar still had her baby firmly in her arms, at that point. 'As we were sitting, I eventually stood up, handed my child to the woman and threw up inside a bin next to me,' said Sharmar. She recalls the woman telling her to go to the toilet to wash her face. Sharmar said: The woman had my bag, her bag and my baby on her. When I came out of the toilet, she was gone. I wasn't even in the toilet for five minutes. Frantically she ran up and down the mall, trying to locate the woman. She even went back to the entrance they stood at to see where the woman was with her child. 'I called the police from a shopper's phone and told them what happened. The mall was able to show me footage of what took place and it showed the woman with my child,' said Sharmar. She said her heart is in pieces, and she is asking the woman to return her son to her. 'I haven't allowed it to sink in yet. I am on the verge of most likely having a breakdown. But I'm trying to be strong because I have another child, a daughter who depends on me. 'It might seem from the outside that I am strong, but inside, I really am not okay. I see my boy's face in front of me. He is only 11 days old; he needs his mother; he needs my breast milk,' sobbed Sharmar. Lisalee Solomons/News24 She said her husband had not yet met his son. 'I am broken, absolutely broken. My husband hasn't met his son yet. We were going to register our son at home affairs on Wednesday. This is all just so heartbreaking for me,' said Sharmar. She said the police had not yet briefed the family on any updates on the case. Western Cape police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said the investigation continues. Sharmar said: I keep thinking if he's drinking, clothed, is his nappy being changed? What are her intentions with my son? What is she feeding him to drink because he needs my breast milk. I just want my baby back. 'Please drop him off somewhere safe and sound and dress him warmly. Wrap him in his blankets. He's only a few days old; he doesn't deserve this, he needs his mother. Please just bring my baby back safely, I am begging you,' said a tearful Sharmar. Founder of The Zoe Project, Tracey Aitken, told News24 that her NGO had no knowledge of the mother of the missing baby nor had it had any dealings with her. Aitken said: The NGO does not donate monies nor do we offer post-natal programmes or free scans to expectant mothers. All our volunteers are based at government hospitals and MOUs (midwife obstetric units) and do not do one-on-one visits at expectant mothers' homes. 'The name of The Zoe Project has been fraudulently used as a front by criminals acting on their own. There is no person with the name or description of 'Chivon', who abducted the child, working as a volunteer for our organisation.' She confirmed that The Zoe Project was 'not under investigation by the police' and was more than willing to cooperate with the investigation, wherever possible. She said the organisation and its staff had a good relationship with the communities in which they work. 'We hope and pray that the little baby will be found and returned safely to his mom.' Strandfontein Community Policing Forum chairperson Sandra Schuter urged residents to be on the lookout for any person 'suddenly appearing' with a newborn baby boy. 'If you notice anything suspicious, please report it immediately to the police. That baby could be little Mogamat, and every piece of information is crucial at this point. We will continue to support baby Sharmar's family throughout this difficult time,' said Schuter. At the time of the baby's disappearance, he was wearing a white babygrow, grey mittens on his hands, a blue vest and was wrapped in a knitted blue blanket with stars on it and a thick white-and-blue baby blanket. Anyone with information can call Crime Stop on 086 001 0111.
