By Staff reporter
Police in Bulawayo have launched a manhunt for a two-year-old girl, Asandra Ndhlovu, who was allegedly kidnapped at a local mall at the corner of L. Takawira Avenue and J. Moyo Street yesterday.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed the incident, dismissing social media reports that the child had been found.
โContrary to social media reports, the child has not been found,โ she said, appealing to members of the public with information that may assist in locating the toddler to contact the childโs mother on 0718333182 or 0777949816, or report to the nearest police station.
According to Msebele, the incident occurred on February 17, 2026, at around 10:30am. The childโs 25-year-old mother, a resident of New Lobengula, Bulawayo, was at her workplace serving customers while her daughter played nearby.
โAfter about 20 minutes, she checked on her child and could not locate her,โ Msebele said.
The mother reportedly reviewed footage at the mallโs CCTV office, which showed an unidentified male suspect wearing a brown hooded jacket and blue work-suit trousers carrying the child out of the mall.
โThe suspectโs face was not visible. The missing child was wearing a pink jersey and blue jean trousers and was barefoot,โ Msebele added. โA police report was filed, leading to the launch of a manhunt.โ
