A woman in New Zealand has been arrested and charged with child neglect after a two-year-old girl was found alive inside a suitcase placed in the luggage compartment of a long-distance bus.

Authorities said the disturbing discovery was made during a routine stop in the small settlement of Kaiwaka, located north of Auckland, on Sunday.

According to a statement from Detective Inspector Simon Harrison, the incident came to light when a passenger requested access to the bus’s undercarriage storage during the stop.

As the driver opened the compartment to assist, they noticed suspicious movement coming from one of the suitcases. Upon further inspection, the driver unzipped the bag and discovered the young girl inside.

The child was described as being “very hot” at the time she was found, but she did not show any immediate signs of physical injury. Emergency services were called to the scene, and the toddler was promptly taken to hospital for evaluation and care. She remained under medical observation on Sunday night local time.

Authorities have not revealed how long the girl had been inside the suitcase or the specific cities the bus had travelled between before stopping in Kaiwaka.

Investigators are working to piece together a timeline of events and determine the motive behind the act. It remains unclear whether the woman and child are related or what circumstances led to the girl being placed in the luggage compartment.

The woman, whose name has not been released by police due to legal protections, has been charged with one count of ill-treatment or neglect of a child. She is scheduled to appear in court on Monday. Police say further charges could be considered depending on the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

The bus company involved, InterCity, confirmed to local media that one of its coaches was part of the incident. In a brief statement, the company expressed concern over the child’s safety and said it was cooperating fully with law enforcement.

Under InterCity’s travel policy, children under the age of three are allowed to ride free of charge if seated on an accompanying adult’s lap. It is not known whether the arrested woman was officially listed as a passenger or attempted to board without alerting staff to the presence of a child.

The case has sparked public concern in New Zealand, with many expressing shock at the method used to transport the child. Social services have reportedly been notified and are expected to be involved in determining the child’s future care and wellbeing.

Detective Inspector Harrison noted that the investigation is ongoing and encouraged anyone with relevant information to come forward.

“This is a deeply concerning situation. Our priority at this time is ensuring the wellbeing of the child and understanding how such a serious incident occurred,” Harrison said. (Nigerian Tribune, excluding headline)