The kidnapping of a one-day-old baby from a private hospital in Cosenza, in the Calabria region, has shocked Italy.
The newborn was removed from the health unit in the early evening of last Tuesday (21) by a couple.
The criminals, identified as Rosa Vespa and Acqua Moses, were arrested hours later by local police with little Sofia.
The kidnapper, who had her face partially covered by a mask, pretended to be a nurse at Sacro Cuore, took the child and told the mother that she needed to take him to the pediatrician. The woman and the grandmothers, worried about the delay, alerted other hospital staff.
The facility's internal cameras filmed Vespa approaching Moses and trying to place the newborn in a car seat, but without success. The criminal then left the unit with the girl in her arms and her partner with the object in his hand.
The couple were detained by police in Castrolibero, which is about six kilometers away from Cosenza. The two were arrested in the middle of a party for the arrival of the newborn, which was attended by some relatives. The couple also dressed the girl as a boy.
“The police did an exceptional job. While I had lost hope, an entire region stopped to look for our little girl. I don’t think I’ll ever get over this, but the happy ending is that she’s okay. A mother and a father died and were resurrected,” wrote Valeria, Sofia’s mother, on her social media.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised the “extraordinary teamwork and research” of the Cosenza authorities and sent a “hug” to the baby’s relatives.
The police are continuing their investigation into the attempted kidnapping. The officers are mainly looking at the “ease” with which the criminals entered the hospital and took the child. (HANDLE)
FOLLOW ITALIANISM
