An Eastern Cape student has been arrested following the discovery of a baby in a dustbin on her campus, police said on Tuesday.

Police spokesperson Capt Khaya Tonjeni told SowetanLIVE's sister publication TimesLIVE that the 18-year-old woman's friends on campus knew that she was pregnant. Police would not identify the campus nor the institution where the incident took place.

“She was arrested after it was found there was no longer a baby in her belly, but there was a baby in the bin,” said Tonjeni.

The baby was found wrapped in a plastic bag in a bathroom bin on Monday afternoon.

“It is alleged that the woman had a misunderstanding with the father of the child, which caused her to abort the child,” added Tonjeni.

The woman was charged with concealment of birth. Her matter is set to be heard in the Mthatha magistrate’s court.