Newborn found in manger needs a home

An unidentified woman holds the baby at the Holy Child Jesus Church in the Richmond Hill section of Queens, New York. Picture: Paul Cerni, via Associated Press

An unidentified woman holds the baby at the Holy Child Jesus Church in the Richmond Hill section of Queens, New York. Picture: Paul Cerni, via Associated Press

Published Nov 27, 2015

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New York - A mother who left her newborn son, swaddled and lying in the manger of a Christmas Nativity scene in a New York church, will not be charged, prosecutors say.

The infant was found wrapped in towels and crying in the manger at Holy Child Jesus Church in the borough of Queens by a custodian on Monday.

The mother “followed the spirit” of a safe-haven law that allows a parent to abandon a newborn baby anonymously and without fear of prosecution, provided the baby is left safely, officials said.

“It appears that the mother, in this case, felt her newborn child would be found safely in the church and chose to place the baby in the manger because it was the warmest place,” Richard Brown, the Queens district attorney, said in a statement.

“Further, she returned the following morning to make certain that the baby had been found,” he added.

The 2.3kg baby was discovered with his umbilical cord still attached when the church's 60-year-old custodian returned from his lunch break.

The boy was in good health and transferred to hospital to receive care until a permanent home can be found, police and church officials said.

Surveillance video footage showed a mother carrying the child into a discount store to buy towels, and then into the church, just days before America celebrated its Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday.

“Let us pray for this child, for his parents and for whomever will receive him into their home,” parish vicar Christopher Heanue posted on Facebook.

AFP

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