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Jul 10, 2007 6:48 pm US/Central
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Woman In Kidnap Attempt Photo Not A Suspect
Minneapolis (WCCO) ―
Police are still searching for a woman who tried to kidnap a child from a hospital day care Monday afternoon in Minneapolis. She caught the attention of Children's Hospital daycare workers when she walked into the restricted area reserved for siblings of patients without a required ID badge.
"Luckily, the staff did exactly what we would all want staff at any child care facility to do. They realized there was a problem and confronted this woman directly," said Minneapolis police spokeswoman, Lt. Amelia Huffman.
Huffman said when a worker told the woman to put down the little girl she did and then took off running.
Children's Hospital surveillance video caught an image of a similar looking woman right around that time. Her picture was released to the media before investigators determined she wasn't the suspect. She was an off-duty hospital employee.
"I believe she did see it herself and came forward," said Huffman.
The hospital said their security policies worked. Everyone who enters the hospital is required to wear an identification badge at all time. Children's said it's the only hospital in the state with that system.
The daycare is in a restricted, but unlocked area. Huffman said investigators aren't sure if the woman has familiarity with the hospital's layout.
"It's the kind of area that you would be unlikely to stumble upon in the hospital," she said.
Police said the woman they are searching for is white, between 25 and 30 years with long, light brown hair. She's about 5 feet, 7 inches and weighs 150 pounds. She may have been seen leaving the hospital in a black Chevy Avalanche.
Other hospitals in the area said cases like these encourage them to review their own security plans.
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