Woman gets 20 years for baby theft attempt

JONESBORO, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has obtained surveillance video of a teenager posing as a nurse as she kidnapped a newborn from her mother's arms at a Clayton County hospital.

Naquelle Ballard was 19-years-old when she walked into Southern Regional Hospital's Women's Center and took the then 2-day-old girl.

She plead guilty to kidnapping and false imprisonment on Monday. A Clayton County judge sentenced her to 20 years, with 10 years to serve behind bars.

After Ballard was sentenced, Channel 2's Tom Jones asked the Clayton County District Attorney's Office to see the surveillance video of the crime.

The video shows Ballard dressed in hospital scrubs walking around the hallway outside Jas'Mere Brown's room. She then goes inside Brown's room and comes out with the infant.

The video shows Ballard placing the baby in her purse in the hallway and quickly exiting out a side door.

Another clip of the surveillance video then shows Ballard attempting to leave the hospital through the lobby. But prosecutors said alarms were going off and you see maintenance workers tussling with Ballard over her purse. They finally yank it from her and she eventually runs off.

Workers got her tag and Ballard was arrested soon after. Officers say she told them she had miscarried and needed a baby because she wanted her boyfriend to believe she had

The baby's name is Chloe and she is now 10 months old. Her mother, Jas'Mere Brown, was so traumatized by the kidnapping she moved out of state.

She said she is satisfied with the sentence.

"I believe its fine. I believe justice was served," Brown said.

Brown said she still thinks about the day Ballard showed up and grabbed her baby.

She wasn't at the sentencing but says if she was, "I'll tell her sorry about her loss but she just can't go around and make someone else have a loss and miss their child."

If Brown wants to have a face- to-face meeting with Ballard to discuss why she chose her baby, the judge told Ballard she can't say no and must meet with her.

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