Police: Dad Tried To Kidnap Newborn From Concord Hospital Nursery

CONCORD (CBS) - A man is accused of trying to kidnap his newborn son from a hospital in Concord on Wednesday night.

Anthony Deantonis, the boy's 33-year-old biological father, allegedly tried to take the baby from Emerson Hospital at around 8:30 p.m. Deantonis's girlfriend gave birth to the boy just 6 hours earlier.

Prosecutors said Deantonis claimed he was taking the baby to the nursery and putting food in the refrigerator when he suddenly started rifling through a hospital office.

Then, he was confronted.

WBZ-TV's Beth Germano reports.

"There was a short pursuit, a foot pursuit by staff members. They were able to gain control of the child back from the suspect. He was then detained. The police arrived, and we placed him in custody," said Capt. Jack Kennedy of the Concord Police Department.

Hospital spokesperson Naomi Funkhouser released a statement about the incident:

"A well-trained and quick-thinking team in the Birthing Center immediately implemented appropriate hospital procedures on the locked unit and kept the baby secure until hospital security and the Concord Police Department arrived."

Hospital officials told WBZ-TV the baby was not injured. The newborn and his mother are safe.

"The baby could have been injured. The child was just six hours old. We can only think of the harm that that child could have been in if he had taken that child from the hospital without medical attention," said Capt. Kennedy.

Deantonis was ordered held over the weekend until Monday, when he's expected to be released into his father's custody with an electronic monitoring bracelet.

According to courtroom statements, friends and family had been concerned about Deantonis's recent behavior. Lawyers said he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the past.

The baby's mother told police she does not want Deantonis around her or the baby.