In Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, outside a luxury apartment building along the High Line Park, a newborn baby boy was found abandoned on the early morning of July 11, still with his umbilical cord attached.
According to the police, around 3:20 am that day, the doorman at the HL23 building at 515 West 23rd Street heard a baby crying. Upon investigating, he found a naked infant lying outside on the sidewalk under a support column of the High Line Park, still attached to the umbilical cord with traces of blood on the ground next to the column. The doorman immediately alerted the fire station across the street. After examination by paramedics, the baby was found to be in good condition without any injuries and was subsequently transferred to Bellevue Hospital.
The New York Post reported that sources revealed the baby was born around 2 am. According to 1010Wins radio station, the mother of the baby, identified as 37-year-old Ayatta Swann, was located at Bellevue Hospital by the authorities. She has been arrested and charged with child abandonment.
Under New York State’s Abandoned Infant Protection Act, parents can leave infants who are under 30 days old at places like hospitals, police stations, or fire stations without facing criminal charges if they inform medical or emergency personnel. Additionally, parents who are unable to care for their infants can seek assistance by calling the hotline: 1-877-796-HOPE (4673).