San Jose Mother Who Abducted Her Newborn Found by Police
SAN JOSE – A mother who removed her sickly newborn from intensive care has been found, along with her daughter, by Santa Clara County Sheriffs deputies.
The woman, Karla Lugo, 24, escaped from Valley Medical Center’s neonatal intensive care unit with her 1-day-old baby on Jan. 17. Authorities say she had tampered with the child’s security bracelet. She and the baby were discovered five hours later at a friend’s house.
Lugo’s daughter was born with severe medical problems that led hospital personnel to notify Child Protective Services (CPS). Authorities say that because of the discovery of the newborn’s issues, both the mother and father will be investigated.
Despite Lugo just having delivered her daughter via caesarean section, she was able to escape by eluding hospital personnel and tampering with both her and her newborn’s security bracelets.
A “Code Pink” alert was issue just after 5 p.m. when it was discovered both were missing. It is unclear as to whether or not the incident could be considered a kidnapping because the CPS paperwork might have not been processed.
Due to privacy laws, hospital officials would not disclose the infant’s medical condition.
Authorities are still trying to determine if they should charge Lugo with child endangerment.
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