By Rebecca Henely
Police officers located a missing mother and her infant in Richmond Hill after the baby was allegedly taken from Queens Hospital Center Wednesday afternoon, the NYPD said.
The woman, Leila Rajnarie, was spotted by officers from Patrol Borough Queens South in the back of a livery cab close to 101st Avenue and 133rd Street, according to a statement from police.
During an extensive search for the pair, officers had noticed a woman matching the description of the suspect in the cab, police said.
After police pulled over the vehicle, Rajnarie of 101st Avenue and 77th Street was taken into custody, and the baby, Nevita Jagdeo, was brought to a local hospital in stable condition, according to the police.
Rajnarie has been charged with kidnapping, custodial interference and endangering the welfare of a child, the NYPD said.
NYPD officers had been on the lookout for the Ozone Park woman and her infant daughter Wednesday afternoon after the 40-year-old mother allegedly fled the hospital with the baby, police said.
Rajnarie had been at the Jamaica Hills hospital with her 8-month-old daughter and her daughter’s foster mother before she allegedly ran off with the child, according to police.
The women had been going to the hospital for a check-up and Rajnarie was suspected of snatching the infant at around 12:17 p.m. when the foster mother was speaking with the doctor, police said.
Reach reporter Rebecca Henely by e-mail at rhenely@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
