Search for stolen baby

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AS A POLICE hunt intensifies for a premature baby stolen from Worcester Hospital’s secure maternity section, detectives believe CCTV footage and a security guard could help them in their desperate search for the missing child.

The 10-day-old baby boy was stolen on Thursday night and late yesterday police, the hospital and relatives appealed to anyone with information about the baby’s whereabouts or the abductor to urgently contact Worcester police. An officer based in the Boland town said police had been deployed in the area to gather clues and information.

“Social workers are also involved,” he said.

The names of the abducted baby and his parents have not been divulged and police said there was no photograph of the baby available for distribution. The infant was wearing a blue Babygro and wrapped in a blue and yellow fleece blanket when he was snatched during visiting hours. The abduction is not the first to rock Worcester – in February 2010 a newborn girl was snatched from her mother at Worcester Hospital after a stranger offered the mother a lift home and picked up the girl. The baby was found three days later and a woman arrested.

Thursday’s abduction took place as the sensational trial of the alleged abductor of Zephany Nurse, snatched from Groote Schuur Hospital in 1997 and found last year, is being heard in the Western Cape High Court.

Yesterday provincial health department spokeswoman Bianca Carls said the baby boy was stolen from the Worcester Hospital maternity ward at around 8pm.

Because the baby was born prematurely he and his mother had not been discharged from the hospital by Thursday. The distraught mother left the hospital last night and a police officer said she was too traumatised to speak to the media.

“An investigation is being conducted by the department together with the South African Police Service and the security service supplier for the facility,” Carls said.

Carls explained security measures

were tight with a security guard stationed at the entrance to the hospital and another at the maternity unit. Mothers were allowed two visitors at a time and these had to sign a register before entering the unit – this registry is now part of the kidnapping investigation. Other security measures were also in place.

“All mothers receive ID bands, identical to that worn by their baby while admitted to the facility,” Carls said.

Sebastian Abrahams, a member of the Worcester community policing forum, has been away on a trip and is expected back this weekend.

● Anyone with information can contact the Worcester police on 023 348 8600 or CrimeStop on 08600 10111.