Post by Jacqueline Burt
Before my daughter was born, I had a recurring nightmare about some shadowy figure stealing her away in the night. I would wake up in a panic only to remember -- forehead smack -- I was still pregnant! That was over 11 years ago, but it still sends a chill down my spine to think about the woman who dressed up in scrubs and attempted to steal a newborn baby girl from a Southern California hospital ... in a tote bag. A purple tie-dyed tote bag, no less!! (Even my nightmare didn't feature a purple tie-dyed tote bag.) Thanks to hospital staff (and sensor ID tags), the woman, 48-year-old Grisel Ramirez, was apprehended quickly. The baby is fine and back with her mom (who will no doubt never let go of that child again, poor woman). But still! This is the stuff of nightmares and/or Lifetime movies, not real life. How is this new mom supposed to be able to distinguish between rational and irrational parenting fears from here on out?![]()
Before my daughter was born, I had a recurring nightmare about some shadowy figure stealing her away in the night. I would wake up in a panic only to remember -- forehead smack -- I was still pregnant! That was over 11 years ago, but it still sends a chill down my spine to think about the woman who dressed up in scrubs and attempted to steal a newborn baby girl from a Southern California hospital ... in a tote bag. A purple tie-dyed tote bag, no less!! (Even my nightmare didn't feature a purple tie-dyed tote bag.) Thanks to hospital staff (and sensor ID tags), the woman, 48-year-old Grisel Ramirez, was apprehended quickly. The baby is fine and back with her mom (who will no doubt never let go of that child again, poor woman). But still! This is the stuff of nightmares and/or Lifetime movies, not real life. How is this new mom supposed to be able to distinguish between rational and irrational parenting fears from here on out?