A mother of four is distraught after her nine-month-old son was stolen by a woman who claimed to be the baby's grandmother.

An emotional Nancy Mmusi, 29, could not fight back her tears yesterday as she told Sowetan about the last time she saw her son.

Lihle was stolen by a middle-aged woman who, according to neighbours, had lost her own baby girl during birth in August.

The baby boy was stolen from his mother's home after the woman said she would return him after he had visited her for a few hours.

Police have launched a hunt for the woman.

Mmusi said the woman had told her that she was a relative of the father of her children and that she wanted to spend time with them.

"She came here on a Friday afternoon and said she would like to see the kids," said a sobbing Mmusi.

"I told her that my oldest child, who is 10 years old, had just returned from school but she said she wanted to see the baby as well.

"She said she was taking the kids to where she lived and would bring them back. She left with the oldest one and my youngest one.

"I was shocked when the oldest one returned and said the lady had given her food and a drink that she said she needed to give to me."

It was only then that Mmusi began to be filled with a feeling of dread.

"I started panicking because this woman had my baby," she said.

"My daughter took me to where she had last seen the woman and my child but she wasn't there. I thought I was going to faint because I knew then that I had lost my child."

Mmusi has made a heartfelt plea through Sowetan to the woman to return her baby.

"She doesn't have to do it [return the baby] in person," Mmusi said.

"She can just leave the child at our doorstep... that would be enough. I just want my child returned to me."

Lihle's father, Sthembiso Gqibile, said he had no idea who the woman was and that he had also been left shocked by the incident.

"I can't eat or sleep because all I can think about is my son and if he is okay," he said.

Police spokesperson Sgt Khalipha Mvula said they were investigating a case of abduction.

A neighbour who asked not to be named said the woman accused of abducting the toddler had given birth in August but her baby girl had died at birth.

"We think it [the alleged abduction] is because she is still broody and hasn't come to terms with the death of her child," the neighbour said.

Another resident, Nthabiseng Motloung, said the community had searched for the woman at her boyfriend's place in the area but hadn't found her.

"We found the boyfriend and he confirmed the woman had arrived at their place with a child," Motloung said.

"He said she left abruptly after he peppered her with questions regarding the origin of the child," Motloung added.