Thursday, November 01, 2007

amber alert

News out of my hometown of Sudbury, ON:

"Police in Sudbury, Ont., have issued an Amber Alert for a newborn girl they allege was taken from a hospital by an unidentified woman wearing clothing that made it appear she was on staff.

Police in Sudbury, Ont., have released this image of a woman in connection with the Amber Alert issued Thursday afternoon after a baby girl was taken from St. Joseph's hospital.Police in Sudbury, Ont., have released this image of a woman in connection with the Amber Alert issued Thursday afternoon after a baby girl was taken from St. Joseph's hospital.
(Greater Sudbury Police Service)

Investigators said the woman, who is not related to the child, walked out of the St. Joseph site of the Sudbury Regional Hospital with the infant at around 1 p.m. ET Thursday.

The baby is described as Caucasian, with dark hair and bruising on her face. She was wearing a white flannel hospital gown and was wrapped in a white blanket.

Police described the woman as aboriginal, five-foot-six, slim and between 26 and 30 years old.

She was wearing white pants, a white V-neck shirt and a black sweater, and had her black hair in a ponytail.

The woman's clothing appeared similar to garb staff would wear on a daily basis, said Sudbury police Const. Bert Lapalme

"Anyone looking at the picture will understand that this suspect wanted to make believe to the people in the hospital that she was staff,” Lapalme told CBC News. "The suspect's appearance … could easily fool a number of people."

Investigators said she may have boarded a city bus.

Sudbury hospital officials said the facility has been locked down, meaning no one is allowed in or out, while more than 100 police officers were canvassing the area.

"We have officers scouring the city," Lapalme said."


-via cbc.ca

Update: (2007/11/01 22:00)

"A newborn girl allegedly illegally taken from a Sudbury, Ont., hospital has been located and is safe, police said Thursday night.

An infant was the subject of a nationwide Amber Alert after she was taken from the Sudbury Regional Hospital.

Police ended the alert about five hours later, saying the child had been found in Kirkland Lake, 300 kilometres north of Sudbury.

A woman is in custody."