Beach woman pleads guilty to taking baby in Portsmouth

Posted to: Crime Norfolk
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By Jen McCaffery
The Virginian-Pilot
© August 22, 2008

PORTSMOUTH

A Virginia Beach woman whom hospital staffers discovered with a missing baby girl in an emergency room last year pleaded guilty Thursday.

Kimberly Nicole Gardner, 23, admitted to one count of abduction in Portsmouth Circuit Court.

On Dec. 19, Myeshia Ricks of Portsmouth let Gardner take Ricks' 5-month-old baby, Matasia, shopping.

When Gardner didn't return the baby by that night even after family members contacted her, they alerted Portsmouth police, Detective T. Crutcher testified.

The next day, Virginia state police issued an Amber Alert.

Two staffers at Norfolk Sentara Leigh Hospital heard the alert on the radio, which included a description of what Matasia was wearing.

They recognized Gardner and the baby in the emergency room and contacted police.

Gardner's sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 4.

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