Woman posing as Child Protection worker 'snatches 3-week old baby' from home
A woman turned up to a home posing as a Child Protection worker and allegedly snatched a 3-week old baby from its mum.
Sapphire McDougleh, 31, turned up to a house in Canton, Ohio, US, on Thursday morning wearing a name badge and asked questions about the baby's condition.
She claimed she worked for Child Protection Services and was instructed to check up on the newborn baby - but Sapphire allegedly took off with the baby girl.
The mum, who has not been named, had not been informed she was under child protection services and frantically called police after he child was snatched from her.
She contacted CPS who told her the woman did not work for them - and her family was not being investigated.
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The mum immediately phoned cops.
She said: "Somebody came by today, left me with all three of my sons, took my daughter. I just got off the phone with CPS.
Brandon Savage, 21, is also facing kidnapping charges (Canton Police Department)
Sapphire McDougleh is facing kidnapping charges after she posed as a Child Protective Services worker (Canton Police Department)"They do not have anything in their records about her. My daughter was stolen.”
The mum was left for more than 16 hours without her baby and, despite calling the CPS, the whereabouts of her child was still unknown.
She tells police during her 911 call: “And it’s been almost 16 hours since they took her, and I have not received a call from them.
"They didn’t leave me with any information to call. I still have custody of her."
The children's services confirmed the woman had been lying and did not work for them - with the mum telling officers Sapphire refused to put her baby down.
She said: “The only reason that she even got out of my house with my daughter was because she refused to put her down."
After telling cops there was no open case with the mum, police attempted to track down the fake worker by going through CCTV footage and a number plate of a car which was used to drive to the home.
A mum was left terrified after her baby was snatched off her (WEWS)Police were just moments away from upgrading the incident to an Amber Alert when cops found a pair of suspects more than 65 miles away.
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Canton Police Chief John Gabbard said: "Within two hours of learning that this was a kidnapping, we had the safe recovery of the child in a different county.”
Fortunately, the baby was found unharmed. “At least in this circumstance, we can start with the foundation that we have a safe child, Mr Gabbard added.
Sapphire McDougleh, 31, was charged with kidnapping, a first-degree felony and Brandon Savage, 21, was charged with complicity to commit kidnapping, also a first-degree felony.
Mr Gabbard said the mum was right to reach out to police and question whether the woman was a legitimate member of the CPS.
He said: “Don’t take anyone’s word for anything, unless you have a law enforcement officer or paperwork that’s signed by a judge that is legitimate.
“It’s always OK to ask questions and to verify information.”
Both suspects are currently being held on a $750,000 (£700,000) bond.
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