WA: Baby snatching prompts hospital security upgrade

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2008
WA: Baby snatching prompts hospital security upgrade

There's to be a major security upgrade at Perth's main maternity hospital following
the kidnapping of a newborn baby last November.

More than 640 thousand dollars will be spent on closed circuit TV .. more security
guards and other measures at King Edward Memorial Hospital.

WA Health Minister JIM MCGINTY says it's important to have a high level of security
without locking the hospital down.

The measures .. to be introduced by December .. follow a security review after a three-day-old
baby girl was snatched from the hospital last November.

A 31-year-old woman was later charged with child stealing.

The review also recommended electronic baby tagging and the photographing of newborns
.. but Mr MCGINTY says we don't have the technology for effective tagging .. and babies'
faces change so quickly it's impractical to snap them.

AAP RTV np/jmt

KEYWORD: BABY (PERTH)

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