Police Fear Baby Kidnapped From Upper Darby Home May Be Dead
By Mike DeNardo
UPPER DARBY, Pa. (CBS) — Police in Delaware County, Pa. say they fear a seven-month-old baby, taken on Sunday from a home in Upper Darby, may be dead. But the search for the boy continues.
Upper Darby police superintendent Michael Chitwood says 30-year-old Ummad Rushdi, the boyfriend of the child's mother, has been taken into custody in York, Pa., where he lives, and charged with kidnapping.
Today, police were searching a rural area off Route 30 near York, looking for the child's body.
Chitwood says Rushdi and his girlfriend of three weeks were visiting his parents in Upper Darby on Sunday night with her seven-month-old son, Hamza Ali.
Police believe Rushdi was in a room alone with the infant about 2:30am Sunday when, due to "some type of interaction," the child died.
Investigators think Rushdi left the home with the child's body because he did not want to disclose the child's death to its mother, then disposed of it along Route 30.
According to officials, the child's death was not reported immediately because the mother was being told, through Rushdi's brother, that the child was fine and was being taken to Maine by Rushdi.
Last night, after the woman was told by Rushdi's brother that something had happened to the child, police were contacted.
When Rushdi was arrested, he had in his possession a knife, handcuffs, and about $800 in cash.
Chitwood says police hope to find the baby alive but think he may be dead. If police find a body, the charges against Rushdi could be upgraded to murder.
Stay tuned to KYW Newsradio 1060, CBS 3, and CBS Philly for updates on this developing news story.
