Teenager faces prison term for kidnapping baby

JAKARTA (JP): A teenager is facing a maximum 12-year prison sentence if found guilty of abducting a baby, a court here was told yesterday.

In his indictment, prosecutor Suriansjah told the Central Jakarta district court that suspect, Yanti, had allegedly kidnapped victim Erni Presti, then 6 months old, on March 5.

"Erni was sleeping by her mother's side when suspect Yanti grabbed her around 5 a.m.," Suriansjah told the team of judges led by Zulkifli Lubis.

According to Suriansjah, the baby was brought to the Tanah Abang market. The suspect then took off Erni's gold earrings, sold them and bought biscuits for the baby with the money.

"Shortly after, the suspect brought the baby to the Kalideres bus terminal in West Jakarta and headed further West to Merak ferry harbor, where she planned to sell Erni for Rp 500,000," Suriansjah added.

The baby's prospective buyer was not identified by the prosecutor during his indictment. The abduction was discovered to be the second allegedly committed by the suspect. Details of the first abduction had not been uncovered until recently.

The hearing, which will be closed to public due to the suspect's minor status, was adjourned until next Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Erni's mother, Sunarsih, told The Jakarta Post outside the courtroom that she did everything she could to find her daughter, including going to a shaman in the hope that he could "spiritually" locate the child.

"Some people said that I was crazy and overreacting. How would a mother feel if their cute, beloved child suddenly disappeared?" Sunarsih said.

According to Sunarsih, the abduction was easily accomplished, considering the fact that she lives only in a shanty. Sunarsih slept with her back facing Erni because Erni's elder sister, Desi Robiati, was ill.

With their only source of income coming from selling soft drinks to visitors of the Istiqlal Mosque on a side street, Sunarsih said that her husband's earnings were sufficient to feed a family of four, but not enough to pay the rent.

"When I had no children, I just slept under the stars at night," she said.

Sunarsih's three other children are staying with her in-laws in Medan, North Sumatra. (14)