RAWALPINDI: A newborn baby was abducted on Sunday by an unidentified person from the nursery at Holy Family Hospital (HFH).

Following the incident, a five-member investigative committee was formed by HFH’s medical superintendent Dr Shahzia Zeb, who also called for police assistance in locating the baby.

According to police and HFH officials, the kidnapper entered the hospital nursery, lifted the child from the cot, placed a doll in his place and left.

The incident came to light when the infant’s aunt came to the nursery and found a doll lying in her nephew’s bed with a blanket on it.

Officials said the woman earlier thought the baby may have died because it wasn’t moving, but when she checked she found her nephew missing.

The baby’s aunt then immediately informed her sister who was in the gynecology department.

Speaking to Dawn, Dr Shahzia Zeb said the baby’s mother, Kudrat Bibi, a resident of Kallar Syedan, was brought to HFH where she gave birth on Saturday.

She said she was on a routine hospital tour on Sunday when she learned of the kidnapping incident.

“I immediately instructed the ward staff and security guards not to leave the hospital and told the staff at the main gates to check any vehicles or people leaving the premises with a newborn baby,” Dr Zeb said.

She said: “As the newborn was weak, he was transferred to the nursery and was last fed by his mother at 9:30 am Sunday.”

The medical director said when the baby’s aunt came to see him at 12:30 p.m., she found a doll in the bed and her nephew missing.

Dr Zeb said she also sought help from the police.

ASP Binish Fatima and SHO New Town arrived at the hospital after obtaining information, according to a police spokesperson.

He said evidence was being gathered with the help of technical teams and forensic experts and that CCTV footage was being reviewed to identify the kidnapper.

A kidnapping case was filed over the baby’s father’s complaint to New Town Police.

Posted in Dawn, November 1, 2021