A Nigerian man, Moses Omogo Chidiebere, 43, was apprehended alongside his Italian wife Rosa Vespa, 51, due to the abduction of a one-day-old baby from a clinic located in the Calabrian city of Cosenza, Southern Italy.
Police conducted an extensive manhunt that lasted three hours on Tuesday, January 22, 2025, which culminated in the arrest of Vespa, a native of Cosenza and Chidiebere.
A preliminary investigations judge, GIP in Cosenza ruled on Friday, January 25, for the release of Chidiebere; this decision was made because he was allegedly unaware of the scheme, according to his lawyer.
Vespa had reportedly feigned pregnancy for the past nine months and although she announced on January 8 the supposed birth of a baby boy named Ansel, she posed as a nurse at the clinic.
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She took the baby from the mother’s room, claiming that she needed to escort her to the clinic’s pediatrician for a checkup.
Officers were able to identify the couple due to surveillance footage inside the clinic, which captured them as they absconded with the infant.
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When they broke into their home, they discovered the couple celebrating the child’s arrival with family; they had even dressed the baby in blue, investigative sources indicated.
Vespa had allegedly informed relatives that they couldn’t visit the clinic during her labor, asserting that her baby had subsequently been hospitalized longer due to a health complication.
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The abducted newborn named Sofia was discovered to be in good health after a medical examination and was returned home to her parents and her six-year-old brother on Thursday, January 24.
The Nigerian man’s defense attorney, Gianluca Garritano, stated that his client was oblivious to the kidnapping; moreover, he was also convinced that his wife was indeed pregnant.
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The lawyer claimed Vespa had pretended to be pregnant with her husband prior to the abduction and had a “belly that made her seem pregnant”
“My client was considered entirely reliable when he said he believed his wife was pregnant”, said Garritano.
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“There are pictures portraying Moses while he kisses his wife’s belly.”
“She even showed her husband a letter of dismissal from the clinic,” he added.
