BATON ROUGE — A woman accused of trying to kidnap an infant from the Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital last year pleaded guilty to unauthorized entry of a place of business Thursday and was sentenced to three years of probation.

Dinesty Selmon, 22, had been accused of attempted kidnapping and seven counts of unauthorized entry. As part of her plea bargain, prosecutors dropped the attempted kidnapping accusation. Judge Fred Crifasi imposed a $500 fine and $404.75 in court costs. Selmon also must complete an anger management program and stay away from alcohol and illegal drugs.

She also must perform 50 hours of community service, but not at the hospital. She was ordered to stay away from its premises. Crifasi said she could transfer her probation supervision to Shreveport, near where she was arrested last spring.

According to prosecutors, who filed felony charges against the woman, Selmon cased wings of the hospital off Essen Lane and told her boyfriend that a baby in the facility was hers.

Investigators said Selmon fraudulently obtained a "Parent/Caregiver" badge and accessed an area of the hospital reserved to those with legitimate business inside. After being denied access, an affidavit said, she followed behind a legitimate visitor to reach a patient wing. 

Twice in late February 2024, she tried to enter a patient area. On Feb. 29, the investigators said, she and her boyfriend went to the room where a 9-month-old was with its parents. She told the boyfriend that the child was his. The actual biological parents of the child did not know Selmon or her boyfriend, the investigators said.

The next day, staff stopped the woman and barred her from the hospital. 

An acquaintance of the boyfriend notified OLOL nurses, who suspected a possible security breach. The hospital later tightened access to the building, and Selmon was arrested later in Shreveport.