Prophet 'steals baby from woman's womb'

23-year-old Lydia Masetele from zone 7 in Sebokeng, Gauteng, SA, says that her baby was solen from her womb by a woman claiming to be a prophet.

She said she had had a stressful pregnancy and the baby was overdue and she had received some terrifying SMSes.

"The messages said I would give birth through my mouth if I didn't surrender my baby.

"I was so terrified I changed my phone numbers," Lydia said.

But last Friday she was caught off guard.

"A prophet and another woman approached me and said they wanted to help me because they could see I was troubled," she said.

They took Lydia to a shack near Roodepoort where they made her go into labour.

"I was confused and locked in a dark shack with no windows. The prophet gave me bread and tea, which made me sleepy and told me God would be with me until I gave birth.

"After I gave birth, the gogo showed me my baby girl before leaving me in the shack."

When Lydia didn't come home her family started to panic. Julia Mothobi, Lydia's aunt, said when Lydia didn't answer her phone she went to church, where a pastor told her Lydia would be back by Monday.

A man found Lydia confused in the bush near Leratong Hospital and called her boyfriend.

Lydia was taken home.

Julia said the pastor who said Lydia would be back said there was still hope for her baby to come home, too.

Constable Thembeka Koago said a case of kidnapping was opened. "We'll go to her home to take her statement."