MADINA: An infant was snatched from the Maternity and Children's Hospital in Madina Sunday morning, less than 24 hours after he was born, officials said. An overweight, dark-skinned woman took the boy, Ahmad, his mother told authorities who launched a massive search for the baby and the person who took him. Okaz/Saudi Gazette has learned that the baby was born at sunrise Saturday and delivered by Caesarean section. The mother and her baby were transferred to the observation room before she was moved to her room and her son was to have been taken to the incubation section, but he disappeared during a short period of inattention by the hospital's nurses. Abdullah Al-Muzaini, the infant's uncle, said the boy's mother saw the woman creep into the room, quickly take Ahmad and flee. He said pain from Caesarean section overwhelmed her and prevented her from following the woman, but she shouted for help from the female nurses. Ahmad's father immediately rushed to report the incident to the Al-Khaldia Police Station, the Haram Police Station, and road security patrols in a race with time due to fears that his son might be smuggled out of Madina or that the person who took him would exploit crowding in the Prophet's Mosque to hide the infant. Al-Muzaini said the infant's father, a teacher, is offering a SR50,000 cash reward to anyone who provides information leading to his son being found. The infant's family said the hospital's security cameras were out of order and administrators could not rewind them to the time before the incident, as requested by security authorities. The suspected woman must have taken the emergency exit next to the observation room, which is open around-the-clock, Al-Muzaini said. The location looked like a military base after security men tightened control in and around the building and intensified inspection of the vehicles leaving through its gates. A team of more than 10 security men including officers and privates started a full inspection of the building and three female nurses participated by inspecting women and their bags as they departed through the main gate. According to the directives of Dr. Ali Bin Hassan Al-Muhammadi, director general of Madina Maternity and Children's Hospital, the gates were closed and people were not allowed to leave with baby boys until their identities were confirmed. Al-Muzaini said the incident has caused considerable stress for the parents of the infant, their third child after a boy and a girl. Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Majed, Emir of Madina Region, issued directives to security authorities and the Directorate of Health Affairs in the region “to conduct an immediate and urgent investigation” into the incident. He stressed that all parties should be investigated and the search be intensified to find the culprits fast, arrest them and bring them to justice. The Emir also demanded that he receive prompt reports about the investigation.
