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Phoenix mother indicted, accused of taking infant son from hospital during lifesaving treatment

By , Brent Corrado and FOX 10 Staff
Updated  July 27, 2023 12:21pm MST
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 10 Phoenix

PHOENIX - A 5-day-old infant boy with an attached feeding tube who was allegedly taken by his mother from a Phoenix hospital on July 12 has been found safe.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety says 24-year-old Rosa Santana had been seen leaving Valleywise Medical Health Center, located at 2601 E. Roosevelt Street, with her newborn baby in a duffel bag.

Police say that the baby was receiving lifesaving treatment when Santana took him against medical advice. 

Since then, Santana has been indicted by a grand jury on a felony child abuse charge.

Mom indicted, accused of taking newborn

A grand jury indicted Rosa Santana on a felony child abuse charge. Earlier this month, police say she removed a feeding tube from her 5-day-old baby at a Phoenix hospital, placed him in a duffel bag, and left.

"The newborn victim was actively receiving medical treatment at the hospital and without it, the victim’s condition could be life threatening," said Sgt. Brian Bower with Phoenix Police.

Investigators eventually found the two at an apartment near 71st Avenue and Indian School Road on Wednesday night. They say Santana was unconscious on a bed with paper of powder residue consistent with fentanyl, which was within reach of the baby.

Santana allegedly told police she fed the baby at the apartment and once he was asleep, she used fentanyl by inhaling the powder.

Woman accused of abducting baby from hospital appears in court

The woman accused of putting her newborn in a duffel bag and leaving a Phoenix hospital made her first court appearance. The baby was in the ICU receiving life-saving treatment stemming from drug use, police said. FOX 10s Lindsey Ragas reports.

The baby tested positive for fentanyl and is going through drug withdrawals, police said. He has since been taken back to the hospital to continue his treatment, and Santana was booked into jail. 

"There was not fentanyl around my son," Rosa Santana told a judge during her initial court appearance. "I never wanted this to happen. I never tried to hurt my own son. I was trying to avoid a bunch of drama."

According to court documents, the baby had fentanyl in his umbilical cord sample, indicating long-term fentanyl use by Santana, who told police she lost custody of her three other children. 

Santana is being held on a $10,000 cash bond. If she's released, she'll have to wear an ankle monitor and be drug tested.

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Rosa Santana

Valleywise Health statements

"Valleywise Health maintains, trains and drills on emergency response protocols for emergency situations like the one that occurred yesterday. The Valleywise Health team was alerted when the baby and mother went missing from their acute care hospital room and these protocols were implemented immediately. We notified the Phoenix Police Department and began quickly securing access points throughout the medical center, surveillance of parking lots, mobilization of medical center staff and security personnel in search of the missing mother and infant."

"On Wednesday, July 12, a mother removed her 5-day-old infant from Valleywise Health Medical Center against medical advice. In response to this incident, Valleywise Health took immediate action to search for the mother and infant and is fully cooperating with law enforcement. We believe that the safety and security of each patient is integral to the mission of our hospital. We are appreciative of the swift actions of our team members and will continue to work with law enforcement to ensure a safe return of the infant. We believe the safety and security of each patient is integral to the mission of our hospital. We are grateful to our team members, law enforcement, community members and our local media for helping in the quick and safe return of the baby and are happy to report he is in good condition."

Location of the hospital: