Where Do Most Infant Abductions Occur?

A study released by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has revealed that the majority of infant abductions occur in hospitals. The report, which looked at data from 1997 to 2016, found that 66% of abducted infants were taken from a healthcare facility. While this number is alarming, there are steps parents can take to help protect their children.

The NCMEC study found that the majority of infant abductions occur when the child is less than six months old. This is likely because newborns are typically in the hospital for a longer time than older infants, giving potential abductors more opportunities to take the child. Additionally, hospitals can be chaotic environments, which makes it easier for someone to slip away with a baby without being noticed. Read a recent article on a baby abduction from a vehicle.

How to Prevent Newborn Abduction in the Hospital

Hospital stays can be a vulnerable time for both parents and children. It's important to be vigilant and take steps to protect your child while they're in the hospital. It's important to keep track of your child's belongings and never leave them unattended. If you have any concerns about your child's safety, be sure to speak to a hospital staff member.

Additionally, the NCMEC recommends that parents ask hospital staff to double-check ID bands before taking their child out of the room. Parents should also be aware of who is coming in and out of their child's room and should never leave their baby alone with someone they don't know.

Infant Protection Bracelets

One of the best ways to protect your child in the hospital is to use an infant protection bracelet system like Cuddles Infant Protection System from Accutech. This advanced technology gives nurses and security staff the ability to secure specific areas of the hospital like doors and alarms. Additionally, it provides parents with peace of mind knowing that their child is safe and secure while in the hospital.

Digital Infant Footprinting Scanner

Another way to help protect your child is to have their footprints scanned and stored electronically. A digital infant footprinting scanner is a device used to capture an image of a baby’s footprints. Then a record of the child’s footprint is created, which can be used for recognition purposes by law enforcement in the event of an infant abduction. This can be done with a digital infant footprinting scanner like CertaScan by Accutech Security. Digital footprint scanners are also cleaner and easier to use than the ink and paper method. Combine the Cuddles system with Certascan for maximum security in your hospital or facility.

While it is impossible to completely prevent infant abductions from happening, hospitals are taking many steps to protect infants and increase safety. If you are concerned about the safety of your child in a hospital setting, please contact us for more information on how we can help keep your little one safe.