Nurse detained after selling baby

Nurse detained after selling baby

DENPASAR, Bali: The police here on Tuesday arrested a 38 year- old nurse for allegedly brokering an illegal adoption of a newborn baby girl, and falsifying the baby's hospital-issued birth certificate.

Denpasar police precinct chief Adjutant Commissioner Helmy Santika said that nurse Ni Ketut Suriyanty had illegally brokered the adoption of a baby girl belonging to Nyoman Suandri, who gave birth through a caesarean process on May 5 at Panti Rahayu hospital, where the suspect worked.

"The baby's biological mother, Nyoman Suandri, was unable to pay the hospital bill. She asked the suspect to temporarily take care of the baby while she left the hospital to raise sufficient funds to pay the bill," Helmy said.

The suspect later gave the girl to a childless couple I Nyoman Gede Setiawan and I Gusti Ayu Widiastuti and received Rp 7 million in return.

The suspect denied that she had illegally brokered the adoption, arguing that the baby's biological mother had given her permission for the adoption.

"In fact, she asked me to find a good family that was willing to take care and nurture her baby daughter. I was only helping her," she said. --JP