Police in the West Midlands broke into a car to rescue what they thought was a baby – only to discover it was actually a very lifelike doll.
The toy – called Ryan – belonged to 10-year-old Janiah Rattray who left it in her sister Delesia's Vauxhall Corsa which was in the car park of Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, West Midlands.
A passer-by thought a baby had been left alone in the car and alerted the police. Officers arrived and asked advice from hospital staff – who agreed that the "extremely lifelike" doll was indeed a real baby.
The Rattrays returned to their vehicle to find their rear window smashed and a note asking them to call the police.
20 year old Delesia, who is studying criminology at Wolverhampton University, said officers should have recognised the baby was not real. However, Delesia said: "I can understand why they broke into the car if they really thought there was a baby inside."
Police apologised for the broken window but said they believed it was a "genuine emergency".
Chief Inspector Phil Dolby, from West Midlands Police, said: "Two of my officers did the right thing when faced with what they genuinely believed was a baby, alone and critically ill in a locked car in the hospital's car park.
"The extremely lifelike doll was wrapped in a kiddies blanket with only the top of its head exposed.
"The colouration of the head appeared discoloured giving the highly experienced officers additional cause for alarm."
Police have agreed to pay the £90 repair bill for the broken window.
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