A Moreno Valley woman has been arrested after she tried to steal an infant from a hospital, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
Jesenea Miron, 23, impersonated a nurse at the Riverside University Health System – Medical Center Thursday morning and went into a patient’s room, where she “attempted to take their newborn infant,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a press release.
“The suspect was confronted by hospital staff, who then notified security. The female fled the location before she was able to be apprehended by hospital security or law enforcement,” the release added.
The Sheriff’s Department identified Miron as the would-be kidnapper and arrested her early Friday morning in the 11000 block of Weber Street, where investigators also found “additional items of evidentiary value,” according to the RCSD and jail records.
Miron is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Detention Center. She faces a kidnapping charge and is due to appear in the Riverside Hall of Justice on Tuesday, according to jail records.
In a statement, RUHS – Medical Center CEO Jennifer Cruikshank said they are working with the Sheriff’s Department to “investigate how the suspect accessed the patient’s room and interacted with the family.”
“Riverside University Health System– Medical Center has multiple layers of security to protect the safety and well-being of patients and staff, and we’re thankful those systems and our vigilant staff were able to thwart this suspect … Our security protocols have been reviewed and reinforced, and we have additional sheriff’s deputies on campus. We are also working with the family to address their concerns and ensure their emotional well-being,” Cruikshank said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Investigator Galvan or Master Investigator Merrill at 951-486-6700 or the Sheriff’s Department at 951-776-1099.