A naked newborn baby was found hidden inside a cement pipe on a dumpsite in Wells Estate at 9am on Thursday. 
The baby boy was found about 30m from Malinga Street, by a resident who heard screaming.
Within four hours of the discovery, a search party by police and residents led to the 26-year-old mother being located at a friend's house.
Police spokesman Captain Andre Beetge said the woman who found the baby took him straight to the nearby Wells Estate Clinic – about 200m away.
“Nurses at the clinic assisted the child immediately and alerted the police,” he said.
“Police arrived at the scene and during an inspection of the dump site, where the baby was found, they noticed a trail of blood leading to a nearby house. 
"This led officials to a house in Kolisi Street about 100m from the dumpsite. On entering the house evidence was found suggesting that it is the mother's house.”
Beetge added that the mother of the child was not at the house at the time.
The Specialist Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Investigations unit was called to the scene to assist with tracking down the mother.
“Several residents were alerted to the discovery of the child and formed a search party to [search] the neighbourhood,” he said.
“The woman was found and arrested inside a nearby friend's house. She was detained and taken to hospital for treatment and a general check-up,” he said.
The baby was transferred to Dora Nginza Hospital by late afternoon.
“Social workers have been alerted to the child being abandoned and that the mother has been arrested. The matter will also be investigated by the social workers who, after a probe, will decide where the child should be placed,” Beetge added. 
The mother is due to appear in the Motherwell Magistrate's Court on Friday on charges of attempted murder and child abandonment.