Authorities are questioning a California woman after she was accused of posing as a social worker to kidnap an Orange County newborn on May 31.
Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) is investigating Mayella Ortega, 38, after she turned herself in on June 7. The woman is accused of pretending to be a social worker and trying to kidnap a week-old baby at the 2300 block of South Evergreen Street in Santa Ana, 37 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
Police arrest woman suspected of trying to kidnap newborn baby in Southern California.
Investigators with the Santa Ana Police Department say the suspect turned herself in following the release of video that identified her as a person of interest. https://t.co/ZWx6yoLj0E pic.twitter.com/vELY33Pags
— ABC News (@ABC) June 10, 2019
Police say Ortega came to the mother’s home in a white sports utility vehicle at about 11:30 a.m. local time, and tried to take the baby into protective custody without producing any identification or official paperwork.
“[Ortega said] I have to take your newborn and I say, ‘No, you do not want to take my baby,'” the mother told KABC.
#BREAKING Woman surrenders to police after allegedly posing as social worker, attempting to kidnap newborn baby from his Santa Ana homehttps://t.co/iIL1faqPDn
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) June 8, 2019
The mother questioned Ortega’s credentials and the “social worker” threatened to return with the sheriff’s department and remove the baby from the home by force.
“I say, ‘Okay, if the sheriff has to come in, that’s fine but I do not want to give you my kid,'” the mother said.
Woman allegedly poses as social worker, attempts to kidnap newborn baby in Santa Ana https://t.co/UWfGro4bdU
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) June 8, 2019
After the mother reported Ortega to the police, the accused turned herself in and the mother positively identified her.
#BREAKING: Police are searching for a woman who posed as a social worker and tried to kidnap a newborn baby from his mother at Santa Ana home https://t.co/Fm7EpYejdB
— KTLA (@KTLA) June 7, 2019
Police informed the mother that Ortega said she was not actually at the property to take the baby.
Orange County Social Services (OCSS) confirmed nobody called Mayella Ortega works for the agency, and there are no records linked to the mother’s home address.
SAPD said OCSS would normally arrive with law enforcement officers if they were planning to take a child away from parents or guardians.
#BREAKING Police searching for woman accused of posing as social worker, trying to kidnap newborn baby in Santa Anahttps://t.co/oBBbwq1xOr
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) June 8, 2019
SAPD homicide detectives are now preparing to interview Ortega to find out what she was actually trying to do on the day, and how she found the mother’s contact details so soon after the baby was born.
“How’d she get her personal information? That’s all scary to us,” SAPD Corporal Anthony Bertagna told KABC. “How did this woman know that this victim had a child less than two weeks ago, where she lives.”
The mother echoed this view. “Yes, I am scared,” she said.
No further information on Ortega’s identity and potential charges have been released and the investigation is ongoing.
Detectives in concurrence @OCDAToddSpitzer booked 38yo Santa Ana female Hispanic for attempted kidnapping re: yesterday’s incident. Name & booking photo won’t be released. #SAPD detectives working w/ detectives from @LASDHQ & @sbcountysheriff on possibly related investigations
— SantaAnaPD (@SantaAnaPD) June 8, 2019
Police in Santa Ana are questioning a woman accused of trying to walk off with a 1-week-old newborn. The woman says it’s all a big misunderstanding. The mom told KCAL9’s Stacey Butler she understands — the woman demanded she give up her baby. https://t.co/iVM3GIyBJF
— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) June 8, 2019
Anyone with information on the case is invited to contact the Santa Ana Police Department by calling 714-245-8665.
