Woman reunited with baby days after newborn stolen from her

SANTIAGO CITY—A woman was reunited with her newborn daughter here on Monday, Sept. 16, three days after the baby was stolen from her.

Brendalyn Yacap, 38, shed tears of joy after local police returned her 5-day-old baby who is her sixth child with husband Hilario, 39.

Capt. Jose Cabaddu Jr., Santiago City Police Station 2 deputy commander, said the baby was in good health when it was found at the village of Baracbac, Tagudin town, Ilocos Sur province on Sunday, Sept. 15.

Suspect Cristina Semana-Pascual of Ramon town, Isabela province had already been indicted for qualified human trafficking, Cabaddu said.

Investigators said Pascual took the baby from Yacap inside the government-run Southern Isabela General Hospital.

The mother allowed Pascual to hold her daughter but did not notice her leave the hospital with the baby.

The hospital’s security cameras recorded Pascual walk past the security guard at the nurse’s station, with the child concealed in her black jacket.

Police said Pascual wanted to show her boyfriend’s mother that she had given birth to a child. Villamor Visaya Jr./TSB