St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe, La., is sharing information about its security measures after a man took a baby from the facility, according to an article on the KNOE website.
The man left the hospital on Oct. 22 with the baby hidden in a black backpack. The baby was found safe a few hours later.
The hospital has a number measures in place for infant safety. Visitors are required to have a photo ID at arrival when check-in. The “Safe Place” infant security system is in place with sensors in place throughout the organization that track the baby as it moves from one place to the next.
Staff members put security bracelets on the babies until they’re discharged. According to arrest records, an alarm sounded notifying the hospital staff that the security bracelet had been removed.
A similar system is in use at the Owen Sound Regional Hospital in Ontario, Canada, according to a Blackburn News article.
The monitoring system provides each newborn with a light-weight, self-adjusting ankle band linked to an electronic tracking system.If the baby is moved to a restricted zone, the band triggers an alarm and exits are automatically locked.
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