KC woman pleads guilty in plot to swipe newborn

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A 20-year-old Kansas City-area woman pleads guilty in a failed plot to steal a newborn from a pregnant teenager.

The Kansas City Star reported on its Web site that Lauren Gash, of Odessa, pleaded guilty Friday to kidnapping, assaulting and restraining 18-year-old Amanda Howard, of Clinton, inside a Blue Springs motel room last July.

Co-defendant Alisa Betts of Atchison, Kan., remains charged with kidnapping, assault and felonious restraint.

Police initially linked Gash to a plan to abduct Howard and cut the baby from her womb. But Gash and her lawyer said in court that the plan was to steal the baby after Howard delivered the infant.

Investigators believe Betts became scared and called police, who arrived at the motel to find duct tape around Howard's neck.

A few days later, Howard delivered a healthy boy.

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com