18yo enters not guilty plea in Auckland baby kidnapping case

An 18-year-old woman has pleaded not guilty to a charge of kidnapping an 11-day-old baby girl from her Auckland home.

The teen, who was granted the continuation of her interim name suppression, appeared before Judge David Sharp this morning in the Auckland District Court charged with kidnapping and burglary.

She entered a not guilty plea before being remanded on bail until a further hearing in December.

At an earlier appearence, the court heard that the 18-year-old was a resident of Australia for seven to eight months and has been ordered to surrender her passport.

She was also ordered not to go within 2km of Pah Rd in Epsom, where the alleged kidnapping took place earlier this month.

She was in New Zealand for a holiday, the court heard at her first appearence.

Her 21-year-old co-accused has serious health concerns, the court heard.

She has also been granted interim name suppression.

Detective Inspector Scott Beard said at the time of the alleged kidnapping police were told a baby had been taken at about 7am on August 9.

The girl was found safe and returned to her parents about 1.30pm.

"The baby's parents are obviously very distraught and have been through a terrible ordeal and they are currently with their baby," Beard said yesterday.

"This has been an extremely harrowing time for the new parents of a very young baby. We are relieved and thankful that the baby was not harmed and has been reunited with her parents."