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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Measures taken in hospitals to protect newborns from abduction appear to be working.
New research conducted by government agencies in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing shows the percentage of infant abductions taking place in health care facilities dropped from 63 percent from 1983-1992 to just 32 percent from 1993-2006.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for abductions taking place in private residences. During the same time frames, the percentage in these settings nearly doubled, from 29 percent to 49 percent. The percentage of infants taken from public settings other than hospitals went from 3 percent to 9 percent.
Who is most likely to abduct a newborn? According to the research, the most likely culprit is a woman between 12 and 50 years old who is often overweight. She’s also described as someone who is compulsive and uses manipulation and deceit to gain access to the child. Sometimes, the suspect claims to have lost a baby, or that she is unable to have a child. She typically lives in the community where the abduction takes place, or is familiar with the area. Research reveals the abductor often provides good care for the child. She commonly visits hospital nurseries and maternity units prior to the abduction and often impersonates a nurse or other health care worker.
SOURCE: American Journal of Nursing, published online September 4, 2008
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