Overland Park Woman Accused Of Leaving Baby At Hospital

A 32-year-old woman faces charges of abandoning a baby at a hospital Tuesday.

Police said Christine Telca Murei went to Overland Park Regional Hospital to see a man she said is the girl's father. The man, who works in the cardiac care unit, was busy and couldn't see her.

"When the employees went down and told this lady that the man was not going to be able to come down and see her, she put the 16-month old child down on the floor, basically backed out and then ran away," Officer Jim Weaver said.

Hospital employees called security and then police.

The man Murei was searching for led investigators to her Overland Park apartment, where she was later arrested, police said.

During Murei's court appearance Wednesday, a judge ordered a mental health evaluation for her.

Murei told the judge that she is unemployed and she asked for a public defender.

KMBC's Peggy Breit reported that it's not clear whether the hospital employee is the baby's father.

Police said they believe Murei deserves a misdemeanor charge for leaving the baby.

"Even with all the frustration she may have had, that was not the appropriate thing to do and certainly was not the legal thing to do," Weaver said.

The child is in the custody of the state. Officials said the baby is doing well and was never in danger.

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