Woman in court over baby snatch

Elizabeth, left, safely back with her twin sister

An 18-year-old woman is due in court charged with kidnapping a baby from a maternity ward.

Two-day-old baby Elizabeth Rice was taken from the Wordsley Hospital in Stourbridge, West Midlands on Monday but was later found safe and well.

A woman from nearby Dudley is due to appear before Halesowen magistrates on Wednesday morning.

Three other people, two men and a woman, also questioned over the snatch, have been released by police without charge.

The hospital has apologised to the parents, Richard and Deanne Rice, after it was revealed there were security lapses, but the couple have said they do not blame the hospital.

Richard Rice is 'delighted' to have Elizabeth back

On Tuesday the chief executive of the Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust, Paul Farenden, admitted CCTV cameras were not working at Wordsley.

He also promised a thorough review of security and announced extra security guards have been positioned on the maternity ward since identical twin Elizabeth was taken.

Mr Rice described his daughter's safe return as "like winning the lottery" after a traumatic eight hours on Monday when she was missing.

He said: "It's every parent's worst nightmare. It doesn't happen.

"I couldn't tell you the last incident of someone taking a baby from a hospital, but it's not an everyday occurrence.

"I'm sure that's why it's just a total shock because it's the last thing you expect.

"When you do hear of it, you initially think that it's somebody else's child because it's not going happen to you, of course it's not."