A newborn baby stolen from the maternity ward in Barberton Hospital in Nelspruit has been found dead, police said on Tuesday.

Superintendent Abie Khoabane said the police followed up information which led them to a house in Emjindini outside Barberton.

The baby boy was found buried in a shallow grave in the garden. He was buried on Sunday.

"The body was exhumed and a post mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death," he said.

A 20-year-old woman was arrested on Tuesday, and charged with child stealing.

Khoabane said more charges could be added depending on investigations.

"Investigations are at a sensitive stage," he said.

The child was stolen last week Wednesday, after a woman handed her baby to an unidentified woman at around 2am under the impression that she was a doctor.

The woman gave her baby to the woman before she fell asleep and when she woke up at around 5am she realised the baby was gone and she reported the incident to a nurse.

Sapa