New Zealand woman arrested after toddler found in suitcase in bus

While travelling from Whangārei to Auckland on a bus, a 27-year-old woman was arrested after a two–year-old girl was spotted in her suitcase on August 07, 2025.

The bus driver discovered the toddler while he observed a moving suitcase in the luggage compartment.

After the discovery, police were immediately called to the bus stop in Kaiwaka, 100km north of Auckland.

In the official statement, New Zealand Police stated: “The driver became concerned when he noticed the bag moving. When the driver opened the suitcase, they discovered the two-year-old girl.” The child appeared very hot, but otherwise physically unharmed” and was further shifted to hospital for detailed medical assessment.

On August 4, 2025, the woman appeared in North Shore District Court, and was charged with ill-treatment/ neglect of a child.

As per the court documents, she placed the girl in the closed suitcase during a Whangārei-to-Auckland trip that can lead to adverse outcomes: “likely to cause adverse effects including suffocation [and] heat exhaustion.”

The Detective Inspector Simon Harrison stated: “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.”

The InterCity bus company confirmed police involvement but noted that there were no injuries. The woman, who has been granted interim anonymity, will return to court on Tuesday. Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children) has been notified.