In a shocking incident, a hospital worker in northern Brazil, who falsely claimed to be pregnant, allegedly made an attempt to abduct a newborn baby from a maternity hospital. The accused, identified as Auricelia de Sousa Rocha, a nursing technician on medical leave, managed to enter the hospital wearing scrubs. She was apprehended the following day after security camera footage captured her walking with the baby at Evangelina Rosa Maternity Hospital.
The baby’s aunt, Daniela Beatriz, reported that Rocha approached the baby’s mother shortly after birth, stating that the infant needed a heel prick test. Beatriz recounted accompanying Rocha to another floor as instructed, while the mother remained in her room. According to Beatriz, Rocha then changed into different clothing, attempted to place the baby in a bag, and asked the aunt to wait outside the room.
Security footage showed a woman in scrubs carrying a black bag with a baby wrapped in a red blanket. Another clip depicted a woman in a black dress with a bag on her shoulder, being intercepted by another woman before leaving the building.
When questioned by CNN Brazil, the aunt mentioned confronting Rocha about her actions, to which Rocha insisted she was a hospital employee and downplayed the situation. Police revealed that a search of Rocha’s residence uncovered a room prepared with baby essentials, even though she had misled her family about being pregnant without providing any proof.
Rocha’s defense attorney cited her diagnosis of schizophrenic symptoms affecting her understanding of the investigation’s seriousness. However, authorities maintained that mental health issues would not absolve her of responsibility for the alleged abduction attempt.
