11:39 PM EDT on Friday, July 15, 2005

By TONY BURBECK / 6NEWS

6NEWS

A tracking device stopped these parents from illegally taking their child from the hospital.

Two parents were arrested after allegedly trying to steal their 4-day-old baby from a Charlotte hospital by stuffing him in a duffle bag, police said Friday.

The boy belonged to Walter Mitchell and Juanita Slade. Police said their other children are in the custody of the Department of Social Services because of drug issues. Social services had placed a 48-hour hold on the couple’s son before he was taken.

An electronic system detected the theft and the hospital went into code pink. Code pink alert goes out when someone tries to steal a baby.

"I knew that it was not a drill," Presbyterian Hospital employee Pat Campbell said.

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Baby tracking device

Because of a bracelet that acts as a tracking device and a monitor, that lets nurses know when a child is being moved, or if the bracelet is being tampered with, the parents did not get far.

"I was actually out on the unit and heard the alarm went directly to the nursery and the staff said we are trying to locate this baby," said Nursing Manager Brenda Martin.

According to police, Slade stuffed her baby in a duffle bag and handed him off to Mitchell as security stopped her. Security caught him a block away.

"The baby was sleeping. The baby was literally sleeping. It was just amazing -- so calm and peaceful," Campbell said.

The mother told police that her other children are in DSS custody and that she did not want her newborn son to join them. DSS had a 48-hour hold on the child. The department can take temporary custody of children if the intent is to seek a different situation for them.

The baby wasn't born at the hospital, but Slade brought him there to have him checked, police said.

Slade had outstanding warrants for failure to pay child support. Mitchell was previously arrested for unlawful concealment, assault and battery, trespassing and larceny.

Slade and Mitchell are being held on a number of charges including child abuse and resisting arrest. For now the parents are not facing kidnapping charges. That is because police said DSS had not claimed custody of the child yet.

6NEWS crime reporter Glenn Counts contributed to this report.