Nurse stops dad trying to kidnap baby from hospital in duffel bag, Missouri cops say

An “alert nurse” foiled a father’s attempt to kidnap a baby from a Missouri hospital, police say.

The dad tried to leave the labor and delivery floor of Cox Medical Center Branson on Monday with the newborn, who’s a ward of the state, in a duffel bag, police said in a Friday news release.

The nurse “felt something was wrong and challenged” the man, who then attempted to flee, police said. But the hospital’s security measures prevented him from escaping, and a security officer detained the man until police arrived, officials said.

The man, who wasn’t identified, was charged with felony endangering the welfare of a child.

“We are proud of the way Cox Medical Center Branson handled this situation and the partnership that the police department has with them,” Branson Police Chief Jeff Matthews said. “This is why it is so important for all organizations to have a plan in place and to regularly train for those ‘what if’ scenarios.”

This story was originally published July 2, 2021 at 6:54 PM with the headline "Nurse stops dad trying to kidnap baby from hospital in duffel bag, Missouri cops say."