Story By:  Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency:  Newsflash

This is the moment a 25-year-old woman is caught trying to abduct a newborn baby at a Colombian hospital.

The incident took place at the Rafael Calvo Maternity Hospital in the coastal city of Cartagena in the northern Colombian department of Bolivar on 20th June.

According to reports, the suspect, name not disclosed, was caught trying to steal a baby girl who was not even 24 hours old while her mother was asleep in the maternity ward.

The woman allegedly waited for the mother to fall asleep before sneaking into the room to kidnap her young daughter.

Beforehand, the suspect reportedly entered the maternity ward and started a conversation with the young mother, gradually gaining her trust.

When she felt the time was right, the woman put the newborn girl in her bag and tried to leave the hospital by appearing calm, however, an eagle-eyed security guard suspected that something was amiss.

A police spokesperson said: “This woman, according to what we have verified so far, gained the mother’s trust and took advantage of a moment of carelessness when she fell asleep. She took the minor and tried to leave the hospital.”

A security guard noticed the suspect and asked her what she was doing at the hospital. When he received an incoherent answer, the guard asked her to accompany him to a back room where he called the police.

Officers found the baby among the woman’s belongings in her bag and reviewed the CCTV footage, apparently showing the suspect leaving the mother’s room with the baby.

The police returned the abducted newborn to her mother after carrying out an examination to make sure she had not been injured in the kidnapping attempt.

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old suspect was placed under arrest and taken to a nearby police station for attempting to abduct the newborn from the health centre.

The investigation is ongoing.