Nationwide — A 30-year-old African American woman has been arrested in connection with the newborn baby girl who was found abandoned on a New York Penn Station subway platform earlier this week. Law enforcement officials say she is believed to be the child’s mother. The woman, who lives in Queens, was taken into custody and is now facing charges of child abandonment and endangering the welfare of a child.
Accordint to NBC New York, the arrest came one day after authorities released a surveillance photo showing a woman holding a baby near the area where the infant was discovered. The baby had been found on the southbound platform of the No. 1 train on Monday, wrapped in a blanket with her umbilical cord still attached. She was immediately taken to a hospital, evaluated, and is expected to be in good condition, officials said.
Investigators are continuing to look into the circumstances that led to the abandonment. The case has also drawn attention to New York’s “safe haven” law, officially known as the Abandoned Infant Protection Act. This law allows parents to safely and anonymously relinquish newborns up to 30 days old without facing prosecution—if they do so at a designated safe location.
Under the law, parents must leave the baby in a secure and staffed facility such as a hospital, police station, or fire station. They are also required to notify an appropriate person at the location to ensure the infant’s safety.
Authorities are reminding the public that abandoning a baby in an unsafe location is a crime, and safe options are available to prevent tragedies. More information about New York’s Abandoned Infant Protection Act can be obtained by calling 1-866-505-SAFE (7233). The investigation remains ongoing.