In a heart-wrenching incident in the Bronx, New York City, police have responded to a scene where an infant girl was found abandoned inside a tote bag on a doorstep. The discovery was made early Sunday morning outside an apartment building on Reverend James A Polite Avenue in the Longwood section of the Bronx.
Officers were alerted to the situation at around 6 a.m. following a 911 call from a concerned citizen who heard the cries of a baby. Upon arrival, the police spoke with the caller and then located the newborn wrapped in a blanket inside the abandoned tote bag. The infant was promptly taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi, where she is reported to be in stable condition and under the care of medical staff.
The NYPD is actively seeking the person responsible for abandoning the child, with hopes that surveillance footage from the building will aid in identifying and apprehending the individual involved. The community has expressed shock and concern over the incident, with one local resident describing the situation as “very disturbing for this neighborhood.”
Under New York State’s Abandoned Infant Protection Act, parents can surrender an infant up to 30 days old without facing charges, provided the baby is left safely at a designated location such as a hospital, police precinct, or fire station. This incident, however, does not align with the protections offered by the law, as the baby was not left in one of the specified safe havens.
The police have released footage of a woman they believe to be connected to the abandonment, showing her walking down the street with a green tote bag. Authorities are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying her.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline.
