Durango woman sentenced to 37 years for newborn theft

Karla Daniela Rentería Romero has been sentenced to 37 years, five months, and 29 days in prison for stealing a newborn from the Hospital Materno Infantil in Durango, Mexico.

According to the Durango State Attorney General's Office, Rentería Romero entered the hospital's neonatal area on October 23, 2025, wearing surgical clothing and a mask to impersonate medical staff. She concealed the infant in a black bag to remove her from the facility. The following day, the baby was found alive in a green area of the Hacienda Las Flores residential development.

Investigations suggest Rentería Romero intended to deceive her partner, a resident of Nebraska, USA, into believing the child was their biological daughter. The prosecution also implicated Anabel “N”, a hospital cleaning worker, who allegedly provided information regarding the infant's identity and hospital staff movements in exchange for 20,000 pesos. While Rentería Romero has been sentenced, the legal process for the cleaning worker remains pending.