The State - News from May 10, 1988

Merced police arrested Reginald Perez, 28, on charges of abducting a newborn baby from a local hospital on May 1. Detectives said Perez, who lives with his parents, was arrested after several witnesses told police they saw the suspect with Erika Gonzales Flores, who was abducted from Merced Community Medical Center the day after she was born. The infant was found in good condition the next day at a Merced apartment complex laundry room. Bail for Perez was set at $200,000. Investigators said he had not confessed and there was no obvious motive for the abduction. Police said he apparently did not know the parents of the baby.