A teenager, 19, was arrested for stealing a newborn baby from a hospital maternity ward after faking a pregnancy. She was caught on CCTV after putting the baby in her bag.
Cauane Malaquias Costa told police that she stole the one-hour-old baby because she lied to her boyfriend that she was pregnant.
The day before picking up baby Ravi, the teenager went to a hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to visit a friend in the maternity ward who had also just given birth. She returned to the hospital and waited until Ravi’s mother, Nivea Maria, and grandmother were fast asleep before sneaking into the room to pick up the baby.
Ravi’s terrified grandmother raised the alarm, and police watched Costa on CCTV leaving the hospital with a large bag early in the morning, local media reported. Detective Mario Andrade, head of police station No. 4, said:
“She said she came to visit her friend but was wandering in the hospital hallway. Around 3 p.m., she passed by the office, saw Ravi, and became interested in this child. The detective said she took Ravi away a few hours later.
He continued: “Around 1 a.m, while Ravi’s mother and another person were sleeping, Cauane took advantage, rushed in, and took the baby away. While the police were searching, one of Costa’s suspicious neighbors called the police about the sudden appearance of a newborn baby.
When police searched the house, they discovered Costa holding baby Ravi in his arms and initially pretending to be the baby’s mother. Detective Andrade said: “When asked why she did this, she just kept silent. I believe she did it to raise him as her child because she already had a boyfriend, and he lied that she was pregnant.
She later admitted that she faked her pregnancy and even sent a photo of her family in the maternity ward, claiming that she was about to give birth.
Later, the police reunited Baby Ravi with his mother, Nivea, and father, Matheus Maranhao. Police said Costa was charged with child kidnapping and could face up to six years in prison.
