Toddler found trapped in suitcase on New Zealand bus: 27-year-old woman charged with neglect; authorities investigate motive

A woman in New Zealand has been charged with “ill-treatment/neglect” after police say a 2-year-old girl was found inside a suitcase in the luggage compartment of a bus on Sunday.The discovery was made by the bus driver during a routine stop in the town of Kaiwaka in the Northland Region, according to a statement from Detective Inspector Simon Harrison of New Zealand Police."The driver became concerned when he noticed the bag moving," said Harrison. "When the driver opened the suitcase, they discovered the two-year-old girl."The toddler was taken to a hospital for a thorough medical evaluation and was found to be “very hot,” but appeared to be physically unharmed.The suspect, 27, had asked to access the luggage compartment during the stop, said Harrisson. The woman is scheduled to appear in North Shore District Court on Monday, reports the BBC. Authorities have not yet revealed the relationship between her and the child. Entrada Travel Group, the operator of New Zealand’s national bus service InterCity, confirmed that the incident took place on one of its buses.Children up to 2 years old can travel for free if seated on a guardian’s lap, while children aged 3 and above must have a child ticket, typically offered at a heavily discounted rate, as per the company’s website. "We are aware of an incident involving a passenger on one of our services," said Entrada Travel Group, as per NBC News. "Police were called to respond and are investigating the matter. No one was harmed during the incident, and the service resumed.""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, commending the driver for being vigilant.Kaiwaka is located roughly 60 miles (approximately 96 kilometers) north of Auckland, along New Zealand’s main thoroughfare, State Highway 1.