Ambrose Klingensmith

Grandparents claim parents didn’t abuse missing 7-week-old snatched from hospital. FBI joins search: Reports

The grandparents of a 7-week-old baby taken from a Pennsylvania hospital claim that the infant’s parents didn’t abuse the boy, but instead, fled because they were scared.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, police said the parents of Ambrose Klingensmith took him from the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh before doctors could finish treating him on Thursday. Doctors said that the baby showed signs of physical abuse, including fingermark bruising and stomach trauma.

Jeannette Funnen, 32, and Daemon Klingensmith, 23, are wanted in connection with the infant’s disappearance. Police have now charged the suspects with “child endangerment and intimidation, retaliation or obstruction of a child abuse case,” according to Action News 4.

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The outlet reports that the parents fled with the baby after being told doctors noticed possible abuse. A medical report by the hospital indicated that the baby’s injuries were “highly concerning for physical abuse.” The infant reportedly had “patterned injury” that caused “substantial pain.”

The FBI has now joined in on the search for Ambrose.

Doctors said additional testing needed to be done to determine if any internal injuries were present, but the boy was taken from the hospital before the exams were completed.

Klingensmith’s mother, Kimberly, said that she doesn’t think the pair abused the baby and that they’re simply afraid that social services will take their baby away from them, according to 11News. The family said that Funnen’s 3-year-old son, Makias Palmer, was once taken from her after a Children and Youth Services report, but the parents later got him back.

“I think they have an idea in their head that the kids are going to be taken away from them, and they’re never going to see them again,” Kimberly told the outlet.

Police said Makias is also with the parents. He’s described as having dirty blonde hair.

Klingensmith’s father, Eric, agreed that the parents didn’t Ambrose, stating that they were massaging his stomach to help him use the bathroom, which may have caused bruises found on the baby.

“There might have been a mistake made,” Eric said, according to Action News 4. “There was definitely a bruise. I don’t believe the bruise happened because anybody was trying to hurt the baby.”

“What we heard was the baby was in the hospital because it wasn’t going to the bathroom and that he was supposed to massage the stomach to try to help the bowel movement and I’m hoping something in there happened.”

The family did say, however, that Funnen may be in need of medication. She reportedly had suicide attempts during her last two pregnancies. Court documents reportedly state that she previously had two children taken from her after Children and Youth Services reports.

Eric and Kimberly Klingensmith have started the paperwork in an attempt to foster both Ambrose and Makias. In the meantime, they’re pleading for the pair to return home with the children.

“Bring the kids home let us take care of them. We’ll work through what you have to work through, so you can get your kids back. It’s a process; you’ve got to go through it,” Eric said, according to CBS Pittsburgh.

The suspects may be in a gold/silver 2001 Buick Century with Pennsylvania license plate number, LBD6681. The couple could possibly be on their way to Florida. The car was last seen traveling south on Route 19  and McMurray Road in Washington County, at around 1:45 p.m.

Funnen is described as a white female who stands 5-feet-3-inches tall and weighs around 150 pounds. She has long brown hair and brown eyes. She wears glasses.

Klingensmith is described as a white male who stands 5-feet-8-inches tall and weighs around 160 pounds. He has blue eyes and has brown, shoulder-length hair. He also wears glasses.

Anyone with information is urged to 911 or the West Mifflin police at 412-461-3125.

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[Feature Photo: Ambrose Klingensmith/Police Handout]