Abducted baby now with family after Facebook spurs search

Day-old Victoria is back with her family this morning, thanks to four friends who went hunting for the baby after they saw a Facebook alert about her abduction last night from a hospital in Trois-Rivires, Que.

In a Facebook post also thanking the three women and one man for their help,Victoria's mother,MlissaMcMahon, on Tuesdayexpressed the family's horror of having the newborn taken fromthe maternity ward at theSainte-Mariepavillionof theCentrehospitalierrgionaldeTrois-Rivires(CHRTR) the night before.

"Yesterday we experienced the worst time of our lives. It was afeeling that nobody should have to live through. The helplessness in this situation was difficult to accept," wrote McMahon.

Quebec provincial police said that just before 7 p.m. ET Monday, a woman dressed as a nurse showed up at the hospitaland enteredthe maternity ward.

Police said the woman took the baby from the mother, andleft the roomwith the newbornwrapped in a blue blanket.

• Abducted newborn found, suspect arrested: Quebec police

She walked calmly down the hall, wearing a nurse's uniform. No one asked any questions about who she was,a hospital employee told Radio-Canada.

Amber Alert

Police issued an Amber Alert around 7 p.m.,looking for a red ToyotaYaris hatchback with a "Bb bord" ("Baby on Board") sticker.

Sgt.MartineAsselinwithprovincial police saysmany people were contacting police with tips after the Amber Alert went out.

"The media really helped us put out the picture and the description fast. We could see on the TV, on the media, on Facebook, everything we needed and very fast...the public was able to call us and give us information," saidAsselin.

The babywas found three hours later after the four young adultslearned of the abductionthroughFacebook.Police had shared a photo on social networks of the woman police were seeking.

The foursay they went looking for the vehicle of the woman at the centre of the hunt, andfound one that fit the descriptionthen called police.

We saw [the alert]on Facebook, and decided to go looking for red cars, and we saw the woman. We recognized her, said 20-year-old Mlizanne Bergeron.

• Baby Victoria's searchers thrilled newborn is now home

21-year-old suspect arrested

Police say they arrested a 21-year-old womanat her home.

They found baby Victoria, and returned her to hospital.

On Tuesday, Victoria was takenhome toher family.

McMahon said in her Facebook post that it was social media that helped save the baby:

"Thousands of people shared the photo of the woman on social networks," McMahon wrote."Know that this is what has saved our little Victoria. Each click, each share made the difference. Four wonderful people, who we had the chance to meet,identified the woman through Facebook."

The 21-year-old woman picked up by police isin hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, theysay.She may appear in court later Tuesday.

Asselinsaidit is not yetknown if there was any previousconnection between the baby'smother and the suspect.

Security protocols

The head of health services in the region says the hospital is co-operating with the police investigation and will also conduct its own internal review.

Health Minister Gatan Barrette says he has sent letters to all Quebec hospitals with obstetrics units, asking them to review security protocols.