A 20-year-old mother has been reunited with her newborn baby, who was abducted a day after being born at the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center in Marikina City on 26 December.
The infant was taken on 26 December by a woman who had allegedly suffered a miscarriage and brought the baby to her home, police said.
In a follow-up operation, personnel from the Marikina City Police Station reviewed CCTV footage from the hospital and other locations visited by the suspect, eventually tracking her to Barangay Pinagbuhatan in Pasig City on 29 December.
According to initial findings led by Marikina police chief Jenny Tecson, the suspect had reportedly suffered two previous miscarriages, which allegedly motivated her actions.
Driven by fear of returning home without a baby to present to her parents as their first grandchild, the suspect allegedly planned to take another infant. Relatives of the suspect reportedly believed she was pregnant and due to give birth in December, unaware that she had suffered another miscarriage.
Tecson said the suspect allegedly posed as a nurse, entered the postpartum ward, and asked which mothers had not yet had their babies undergo newborn screening.
Three mothers reportedly responded, but two refused to hand over their babies. The victim, who was half-awake at the time, instinctively handed her baby to the suspect.
Alarmed when the infant was not returned at the time specified, the family immediately reported the incident to hospital management.
Despite alleged restrictions from the hospital, the infant’s grandfather sought help from a Marikina-based online news outlet, causing the case to go viral and reach more than one million viewers.
The suspect later admitted that after seeing the online appeal, she intended to contact the mother but was overwhelmed by fear. When the two met, the suspect apologized and said she had taken good care of the baby.
Tecson said the case is now considered closed as the suspect voluntarily surrendered and the infant was safely recovered. She added, however, that the suspect should undergo a mental health evaluation.
In a joint press conference with the Department of Health, Tecson denied claims that the suspect was part of a syndicate involved in infant trafficking.
Hospital management acknowledged that the suspect appeared to have studied the facility’s security protocols, allowing her to bypass medical staff and security personnel. The hospital pledged to tighten security measures.
Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said he would order all public hospitals and recommend that private and local government-run hospitals install additional security cameras.
For her part, Marikina City Mayor Marjorie Ann Teodoro expressed relief over the infant’s safe return.
“Bilang isang nanay, mabigat po sa akin ang nangyaring insidente sa Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center, lalo na’t ito ay lugar na dapat ligtas para sa mga sanggol at pamilya,” Teodoro said.
“Tahimik nating tinutukan, kasama ang mga awtoridad upang ligtas na maibalik sa pamilya niya si Ryu,” she added.