Police in Marrakech arrested on Thursday evening a suspect for stealing a three-month-old female baby from its parents in Casablanca.
The suspect, an 18-year-old woman, allegedly abducted the infant from her family in order to convince a man who had a relationship with her that he is the father.
The abducted baby was the daughter of the suspect’s brother-in-law, according to a statement from Morocco’s General Directorate of National Security (DGSN).
As soon as the infant went missing, her parents notified local security services.
The Royal Gendarmerie of Casablanca then coordinated its efforts with central security services, through the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST), to find the missing child.
In addition to the suspect who stole the baby, police in Marrakech arrested the woman’s partner, with whom she had an illegal pre-marital relationship, according to DGSN.
The reasons behind the woman’s criminal act remain unconfirmed, but Marrakech police suspect she intended to blackmail the second suspect after convincing him of being the baby’s father.
The two suspects will remain in custody pending investigations by the public prosecutor’s office to determine the circumstances of the case.
Meanwhile, authorities returned the baby to her parents in Casablanca.
DGSN’s statement did not specify the charges that the suspects are facing. However, based on the story, the man could face punishment for having sex outside of marriage, while the woman will sit in court for kidnapping a minor as well.
According to Article 490 of Morocco’s penal code, people who have sex outside of wedlock can face between one month and one year in prison.
Meanwhile, Article 475 states that the kidnapping of a minor, without intention for demanding ransom, is punishable by one to five years in prison, as well as a fine ranging from MAD 200 ($22) to MAD 500 ($54).
