FACT CHECK: Does This Photo Show A Woman Stealing A Baby From A U.S. Hospital?

An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows a woman wanted for stealing a newborn infant from a hospital in the U.S.

Facebook/Screenshot

Verdict: False

The woman pictured was arrested for stealing a newborn baby from a hospital in the Philippines.

Fact Check:

The July 11 Facebook post features an image of a woman in medical scrubs carrying a baby in her arms. Its caption claims she was “on the loose” after posing as a nurse and stealing a 27-year-old mother’s two-day-old son from a Philadelphia hospital.

“This woman impersonated herself as a nurse and stole a 2day old baby boy from a local hospital in (Philadelphia ),” reads the post’s caption. “She was caught on camera and is on the loose and if anyone sees her please report this to your nearest police station and share this post so we help the 27year old first-time mother in reuniting with her son!” Similar posts claim the same woman was pictured stealing a child elsewhere in the U.S.

However, the incident did not occur in the U.S. SunStar Philippines posted CCTV footage on YouTube on Jan. 4, 2016, that showed the same woman holding a baby, indicating that she had stolen the child from Cebu, Philippines’ Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Additionally, Cebu Daily News published a photo of her wearing different clothing. She was identified as call center agent Melissa Londres, the newspaper reported. Londres was later arrested and admitted to stealing the baby, who was sent back to the hospital to be examined, according to CNN Philippines

Check Your Fact found no credible news reports about a woman stealing a newborn baby from a hospital in the U.S. this year. (RELATED: Was Riley Hospital For Children In Indianapolis Set On Fire During George Floyd Protests?)

Check Your Fact previously corrected a rumor in October 2021 that alleged New York hospitals were refusing to release newborn babies to parents who had not been vaccinated.

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