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What Causes Women to Steal Babies?

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In January, 2011, the story broke about a 19-day-old baby girl who was stolen in 1987 and who was reunited with her birth family after 23 years. It was almost unbelievable, but this young lady pieced together her background and put together the puzzle of her true identification. This incident leads to the question: why would anyone steal a baby anyway?

On CNN.com there was an article entitled, “Who Would Steal a Baby, and Why?” that was very informative on this subject. One person interviewed was Cathy Nahirny, a senior analyst on infant abduction cases at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Nahirny simply stated that more than likely, “It’s to hold on to the male partner.” Very strange indeed. As a matter of fact, some of the women who do abduct babies have already had a child of their own, although they might have suffered multiple miscarriages as well. The point is that the kidnapper has run out of time. She has told her husband or boyfriend a lie about being pregnant to make him stay in the relationship. Now, as time approaches, she needs to produce a baby. Of course, during this time she has faked a pregnancy.

This type of behavior can happen to anybody – regardless of race or socio-economic status. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children listed a profile that reveals that the kidnapper is usually of childbearing age and overweight. Jeff Aldridge, president of Security Assessments International, was quoted as saying, “The person is of low self-esteem, who either had a baby or lost a baby, had some kind of medical complication where she couldn’t have a baby.”

The conclusion by the experts? Infertility is usually not the real reason for this type of crime. And no, these women are not considered insane, even though their actions may make it seem that way. We’ve all heard of the cases where women had their babies cut from them. But the experts agree, the kidnappers are calculating, planning, and thinking, so they know what they are doing. They are manipulative – to their romantic counterparts and others – and narcissistic, not wanting to believe that they deserve the punishment for their crime.

Resource: CNN.com

Dianitha Faulkner is a freelance writer and poet who aspires to play the cello.

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Dita Faulkner
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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.