Baby ‘thief’ pleads not guilty

CEBU, Philippines - The call center agent who posed as a nurse and was caught on camera kidnapping a two-day-old baby at a hospital in Cebu City pleaded not guilty to the kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges filed against her.

Melissa Londres, 26, of Barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City entered her plea yesterday before Judge Ester Veloso of the Regional Trial Court. She was assisted by lawyer Christopher Ruiz during the arraignment.

The court scheduled the pre-trial in April.

Last January 4, Londres pretended to be an employee of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center and approached the child’s mother, Jayvee, at the Child Survival Center and told her to bring baby Prince Niño to the laboratory room for anti-dengue vaccination.

Jayvee, though, was told to stay outside the laboratory. A few minutes later, Jayvee found out her child had been missing. Evening on that day, police traced Londres’ whereabouts with the help of a concerned citizen and arrested her, recovering the child safely.

Londres had asked for forgiveness but even with the child’s parents choosing not to pursue the case, prosecutors said the same did not change the fact that she committed the crime.

“The allegations against her have not been controverted.  There is nothing in the mentioned Affidavit of Desistance that says the fact from which the alleged crime occurred did not exist,” reads the resolution approved by Deputy City Prosecutor Ma. Luisa Ratilla.

Londres is detained at the Cebu City Jail.   (FREEMAN)