“He Just Held On”: Community Rescues Toddler in Viral Drug-Smoking Video

A heartbreaking video sparked an all-night mission, arrests, and renewed calls to protect South Africa’s most vulnerable.

What started as a disturbing video clip quickly became an all-out crusade to save a toddler’s life in Newclare, Johannesburg. In the now-viral footage, a three-year-old boy is seen allegedly being coached by adults to inhale from a makeshift pipe, believed to contain drugs. The public reaction was immediate: disgust, heartbreak, and anger.

But for some community members, especially anti-drug activist Curt van Heerden, there was no time for shock. Only action.

Community Outrage Turns Into Action

Curt van Heerden, the founder of the Institution of Grace, saw the clip and immediately sprang into action. Rallying other activists, he set out on Tuesday night to track down the boy’s whereabouts. Social media buzzed with updates as the group streamed their search live, showing each step they took to locate the adults responsible and make sure the child was safe.

When they arrived at a block of flats in Newclare, the group knocked on doors, questioned residents, and didn’t stop until they found the boy’s mother. With the help of Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers, she was taken to the Sophiatown police station.

The Fight for Medical Help

While police procedures kicked in, Van Heerden turned his focus to the child’s immediate health needs. But even after midnight, no medical care had been arranged. He took matters into his own hands.

By 2:15 am, he was personally driving the boy, along with the child’s visibly distraught grandmother—to a hospital in Johannesburg’s CBD. Finally, around 3 am, the toddler was examined and received treatment.

“He just held on to me. He didn’t want to let go,” Van Heerden shared emotionally. “It’s very hard for a gran to let a child go,” echoed the grandmother, who had tears in her eyes as she entrusted her grandson to social services.

Arrests and Legal Action

By Wednesday morning, the police confirmed the arrest of three individuals: the mother and two men, aged between 28 and 36. According to police spokesperson Brenda Muridili, they will face charges of child abuse under the Domestic Violence Act and are expected to appear in the Johannesburg Regional Court on 31 July.

The child is now in the care of social services, with ongoing support promised by Van Heerden and his team.

A Community’s Role in Child Safety

This isn’t the first time communities in Johannesburg’s working-class suburbs have stepped in where systems fall short. In areas like Newclare, where gang activity, drugs, and poverty have long taken root, residents often rely on one another more than on state institutions.

But what set this case apart was the viral nature of the video and the public’s overwhelming reaction. On platforms like X and TikTok, users demanded justice using hashtags like #ProtectOurChildren and #NewclareBoy.

“I’m crying watching this,” one user posted. “Thank you to the community angels who didn’t wait for someone else to do something.”

Beyond Outrage: What Happens Next?

While the immediate danger has passed, many are asking: What will be done to prevent this from happening again?

South Africa’s child protection agencies have long been overburdened. Activists like Van Heerden are calling for better coordination between community groups and state services, especially in hotspots like Newclare.

“This little boy didn’t choose this life,” Van Heerden said. “But we can choose to show up for him and others like him.”

And for one cold night in Johannesburg, that’s exactly what a community did.

{Source: The Citizen}

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