Jayvee and Jonathan Celadenia welcomed their newborn son as they welcomed a new year but little did they know what awaited them as they were getting ready to leave the hospital.
When they were preparing for discharge, one of the hospital’s staff asked if she could take the baby to the laboratory for a blood test.
The woman, clad in a white scrub suit, looked just like any nurse or medical technician.
But unbeknownst to the happy couple, she was in fact not an employee of the hospital.
Trusting that the test had been ordered by their doctor, Jonathan handed their baby to the woman.
When several minutes passed without a sign of the woman or their baby, the new parents' bliss turned to dread and they became increasingly anxious.
So, they went to the laboratory to check on their baby.
They were devastated to find that there had been no request for a blood test to be done on their newborn.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer reports that the hospital management of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) has reported the tragic incident to the Fuente Police Station 2 in Cebu City with the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
The hospital’s information officer coordinated with investigators in reviewing CCTV footage taken during the time of the incident.
The footage showed the woman who had approached the newborn's parents, in a white uniform and a face mask carrying the baby to the laboratory. Then, a second chilling piece of footage shows the same woman, without a mask, carrying the baby past the billing section and cashier before disappearing towards one of the hospital’s exits, near the trauma section.
The police arrested Melissa Londres, 26, last night, January 5. She reportedly told authorities the baby was her son which she delivered while on board a taxi.
Police told the Inquirer that Londres could be suffering from what is known "lose baby syndrome", after having a miscarriage caused her to have an intense need to have a child.
Keeping babies safe
It's natural for parents to worry that things such as this could easily happen to them.
Though it is the hospital’s duty to not only ensure the health but the overall safety of newborns entrusted to their care, it's imperative for parents to be extra vigilant.
Increasing hospital security is needed but it is also important for parents to be aware that even in perceived safe environments, such as a big government-run institutions, tragedies like these can happen.
Because, sadly, there are individuals out there who prey on the trust of blissful new parents.
photo: dreamstime
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