Colorado woman guilty of kidnapping newborn nephew

A jury has convicted a woman of kidnapping her newborn nephew in Wisconsin and abandoning him outside an Iowa gas station in freezing temperatures.

Kristen Smith was convicted Thursday of kidnapping, which carries a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

The 31-year-old woman testified she took the boy in February at the father’s request. She said the parents were planning to come live with her in Colorado.

The Aurora, Colorado, woman says she ditched the 4-day-old baby outside of a gas station in a moment of panic as police closed in on her. The baby survived, despite spending 29 hours in frigid temperatures.

Prosecutors dismissed Smith’s explanation as ludicrous. They said Smith stole the baby to try to pass him off as her own.