CCTV shows woman stealing 11-day-old baby from New Zealand family

Woman who plotted to take baby had worn pregnancy suit and hosted fake baby shower

Footage has emerged showing a woman sneaking into a family’s house and stealing their newborn baby in New Zealand.

Nadene Manukau-Togiavalu, who had been employed to look after the baby, plotted with her cousin to take the baby.

On her third night working for the family in Epsom, Auckland, Manukau-Togiavalu signalled for her cousin to sneak in once the baby’s father had fallen asleep.

The CCTV film showed Sydnee Taulapapa, 18, in a balaclava as she opened the gate with a remote control and entered the house through the back door on 8 September, 2017.

She could then be seen leaving the house with the baby.

Manukau-Togiavalu has been jailed for three years.

Before the kidnapping, she had tried to convince friends and family she was pregnant by wearing a pregnancy suit and hosting a false baby shower, the New Zealand Herald reports.

She later claimed her baby had been adopted after she gave birth.

Manukau-Togiavalu pleaded guilty to kidnapping and burglary and was sentenced in April.

She was discharged without conviction, but ordered to undergo 400 hours of community work and pay NZ$2,000 (£1,030) to the baby’s parents or a children’s charity.