One-month-old Judith Alejandra was taken from Durango's Hospital Materno Infantil by a woman posing as medical staff. After 22 hours of searching, the baby was found wrapped in a sheet in a public space and is now with her parents. Authorities are probing potential lapses in hospital security.
On Thursday afternoon, Judith Alejandra, a premature baby with a liver condition, was stolen from Durango's Hospital Materno Infantil. The perpetrator posed as medical staff to enter and abduct the infant, sparking a 22-hour search.
A female passerby discovered the baby wrapped in a white sheet in a public space in the city and called 911. She was quickly taken to a nearby private clinic for specialized medical care to address her critical state.
Governor Esteban Villegas Villarreal confirmed on social media that the focus is now on Judith Alejandra's health and that she is reunited with her parents. He thanked citizens for their support during the mobilization. The suspect remains at large and unidentified, prompting intensive operations by the State Attorney General's Office, alongside the National Guard and the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection, to apprehend her.
The probe aims to clarify how the intruder gained access and to identify any lapses in internal surveillance protocols, particularly in maternity and neonatology areas. The event underscores vulnerabilities in Mexico's hospital security, with documented newborn abductions in public and private facilities between 2018 and 2023 leading to legal changes but ongoing gaps. Experts urge stronger access controls and staff training to avert future incidents.