OTTAWA (WHDH) — A Quebec woman abducted an 8-day-old newborn after forcing her way into an Ottawa home and spraying the occupants with bear repellent Sunday afternoon, police said.
Nicole Shanks, 32, is facing three counts of administering noxious substance with intent to endanger life, abduction of a person under 14, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, breaking and entering of a house with intent, assault with a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, harassment by watching and besetting, and assault, according to the Ottawa Police Service.
Shanks met the mother of the newborn boy on a social media chat group for new mothers and had brought a gift for the mother and her baby at their home on Friday, police said.
She returned to the family’s residence Sunday and forcefully entered the home, used bear repellent spray to subdue the occupants, abducted the baby and left, police added.
A neighbor who had been alerted by the activity reportedly located Shanks with the baby a distance away from the home and detained her until police arrived.
Paramedics evaluated the baby and police say they determined he was unharmed.
Ottawa Police Sexual Assault and Child Abuse investigators believe that Shanks may have been in contact with other new mothers via social media mother groups.
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