Baby Drama! When Soap Operas Kidnap Children!

Currently, two soap operas — The Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital —  are telling tales of babies who were taken from their parents, as their parents believe their babies are dead. But, this is a tried and true soap classic and nothing new for daytime.

A BOLD Move: B&B has confirmed what some suspected was going to happen before Hope (Annika Noelle) had even given birth.

Dr. Reese Buckingham (Wayne Brady) stole baby Beth and sold her to Taylor (Hunter Tylo) and Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood). The stage is being set for the mother of all showdowns when Hope learns the truth.

Father’s Daze: Michael Corinthos (Chad Duell) believes that his son, Jonah, mothered by the manipulative Nelle (Chloe Lanier) is dead.

He has no idea that Nelle switched her healthy baby boy with the infant that Brad (Parry Shen) and Lucas (Ryan Carnes) adopted and named Wiley after the adopted baby suddenly died.

When the truth comes out, it could send all three fathers to court to decide custody while Nelle’s prison stay could be lengthened!

Sami’s Suffering: Nicole Walker (Arianne Zucker) blackmailed Dr. Baker (John Callahan) into switching a baby girl Sami (Alison Sweeney) had given birth to, with an infant belonging to a young woman named Mia (Taylor Spreitler).

Fearing Stefano’s (Joe Mascolo) influence on her daughter (E.J., played by James Scott, was the dad), Sami kept her child (actually, Mia’s daughter) Grace in a convent.

After she brought her home to Salem, Grace died of meningitis. In time, Sami learned Nicole had her true biological baby. She wasn’t reunited with her child, Sydney, right away because Nicole went on the run.

Oh, Sheila: The Young and the Restless’ tale of Sheila (Kimberlin Brown) stealing Lauren Fenmore’s (Tracey Bregman) baby is one of the show’s (and soaps’) most memorable.

The saga culminated when Sheila held her mother Molly (Marilyn Alex) and Lauren captive in cabin outside of Genoa City and Sheila herself revealed to Lauren what she’d done.

The cabin went up in flames and Sheila was believed dead. In reality, she escaped and moved to Los Angles!

Why are these stories so popular on soaps? They tap into the primal and relatable emotion of parents wanting to love and protect their children. They also tend to involve a multitude of characters and most often result in joyful reunions!