A three-day-old baby boy is back with his family after a 19-year-old woman reportedly kidnapped him from Magee-Womens Hospital Thursday afternoon.
Police have confirmed that the missing newborn baby was found at 6 p.m. in downtown Pittsburgh. The infant was transported back to Magee-Womens Hospital to be checked out, and officials said he is OK.
According to police, the baby was found on Fourth Avenue. Police said surveillance video determined the suspect left the hospital and fled toward Halket Street. Detectives said they received a tip from an unknown family member.
PITTSBURGH — Breona Moore, of East McKeesport, is facing several charges including concealment whereabouts of a child, criminal trespass, kidnapping a minor, falsely impersonating persons privately employed, interference with custody of children and recklessly endangering another person.
Baby Bryce Coleman was transported by medics to Magee-Womens Hospital to be medically checked out, authorities said. He was listed in good condition and reunited with his mother and father. Family members said they will likely be discharged on Friday.
Leslie Davis, president of Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, issued the following statement on Thursday night:
"The baby abducted today from Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC has been examined by our physicians and found to be in good health. Mother and baby have been reunited. We'd like to thank the police, the FBI, and our staff for their great and rapid work to bring this incident to a successful conclusion. We will be reviewing this event to see what improvements could be made in our security procedures."
Channel 11's Vince Sims spoke to the missing baby's grandmother, Charmaine King. She said her family was getting ready to be discharged from the hospital. According to King, the suspect claimed to be her daughter's sister and left the hospital with the baby.
"Someone came into the hospital and claimed to be my daughter's sister and took her newborn baby she just had," said Charmaine King. "Somebody got my grandson. Please return my baby."
Authorities told Channel 11's Timyka Artist that the woman purchased the scrubs at a Life Uniform store on Forbes Avenue. According to the sales clerk who sold the suspect the scrubs, she said she had a brief conversation with the woman.
"She said she needed a black scrub top because she was starting to train. I asked her what hospital and she said Magee," Autumn Bullion said.
Police said the woman left a name at the store when she made the purchase. Officers quickly tracked down the name to a Wilkinsburg address. Authorities said the woman and everyone else inside the Laketon Road home were very cooperative.
Investigators said it's possible the suspect simply used this woman's name.
"A search of the residence didn't turn up the child," Pittsburgh police Sgt. Tom Huerbin said.
UPMC officials released a statement that said, "Following an investigation of today's infant abduction at Magee-Womens Hospital, UPMC officials determined that a nurse removed the security tag from the baby in the mother's room at 12:34 p.m. in preparation for discharge. The mother was present at the time of the tag's removal.
At 1:15 p.m., the father alerted the staff that the family was ready to depart and then it was determined that the baby was missing. Hospital staff immediately searched the unit and followed other internal security procedures. Police were called at 1:44 p.m.
Target 11 investigator Rick Earle looked into the security measures that are supposed to keep someone from walking in and stealing a baby from a hospital.
Earle said the hospital immediately went into a Code I, which indicates trouble with a newborn and the hospital is immediately locked down. Another security measure is every baby is given an ID bracelet that has a chip inside so if the infant gets too close to a door, the door automatically locks.
Celeste Foster had a baby at Magee and said when the hospital was put on
"They have the front door blocked and they just won't let anyone on the second floor. I guess that's where they took the baby," Foster said.
Hospital officials said only employees with a pink stork on their ID badge are allowed to hold babies inside the hospital. Police have not said if the kidnapper was wearing someone else's ID badge.
"They were sending everybody through that one door and there was a cop at the door," another woman who was inside the hospital said. "They had everything shut down with cops so you couldn't get in or out."
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children says children are abducted from hospitals fewer than 10 times per year.
Two weeks ago, a child was taken from a hospital in California. The child was not hurt and was safely reunited with the mother. The suspect was arrested.
Moore was charged with one count of
Leslie Davis, president of Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, issued the following statement on Thursday night:
"The baby abducted today from Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC has been examined by our physicians and found to be in good health. Mother and baby have been reunited. We'd like to thank the police, the FBI, and our staff for their great and rapid work to bring this incident to a successful conclusion. We will be reviewing this event to see what improvements could be made in our security procedures."
Channel 11's Vince Sims spoke to the missing baby's grandmother, Charmaine King. She said her family was getting ready to be discharged from the hospital. According to King, the suspect claimed to be her daughter's sister and left the hospital with the baby.
"Someone came into the hospital and claimed to be my daughter's sister and took her newborn baby she just had," said Charmaine King. "Somebody got my grandson. Please return my baby."
Authorities told Channel 11's Timyka Artist that the woman purchased the scrubs at a Life Uniform store on Forbes Avenue. According to the sales clerk who sold the suspect the scrubs, she said she had a brief conversation with the woman.
"She said she needed a black scrub top because she was starting to train. I asked her what hospital and she said Magee," Autumn Bullion said.
Police said the woman left a name at the store when she made the purchase. Officers quickly tracked down the name to a Wilkinsburg address. Authorities said the woman and everyone else inside the Laketon Road home were very cooperative.
Investigators said it's possible the suspect simply used this woman's name.
"A search of the residence didn't turn up the child," Pittsburgh police Sgt. Tom Huerbin said.
UPMC officials released a statement that said, "Following an investigation of today's infant abduction at Magee-Womens Hospital, UPMC officials determined that a nurse removed the security tag from the baby in the mother's room at 12:34 p.m. in preparation for discharge. The mother was present at the time of the tag's removal.
At 1:15 p.m., the father alerted the staff that the family was ready to depart and then it was determined that the baby was missing. Hospital staff immediately searched the unit and followed other internal security procedures. Police were called at 1:44 p.m.
Target 11 investigator Rick Earle looked into the security measures that are supposed to keep someone from walking in and stealing a baby from a hospital.
Earle said the hospital immediately went into a Code I, which indicates trouble with a newborn and the hospital is immediately locked down. Another security measure is every baby is given an ID bracelet that has a chip inside so if the infant gets too close to a door, the door automatically locks.
Celeste Foster had a baby at Magee and said when the hospital was put on
"They have the front door blocked and they just won't let anyone on the second floor. I guess that's where they took the baby," Foster said.
Hospital officials said only employees with a pink stork on their ID badge are allowed to hold babies inside the hospital. Police have not said if the kidnapper was wearing someone else's ID badge.
"They were sending everybody through that one door and there was a cop at the door," another woman who was inside the hospital said. "They had everything shut down with cops so you couldn't get in or out."
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children says children are abducted from hospitals fewer than 10 times per year.
Two weeks ago, a child was taken from a hospital in California. The child was not hurt and was safely reunited with the mother. The suspect was arrested.
Moore was charged with one count of
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