Away in a manger... newborn left in Christmas nativity scene at New York church
It was around 11.30am on Monday when a custodian at the Holy Child Jesus Church in the Richmond Hill section of Queens left the empty chapel to get lunch.
When he returned shortly after 1pm, he heard a baby crying, but saw no one else around.
Thatās when the custodian turned to a nativity scene in the front of the church and saw a newborn baby wrapped in towels laying in the manger, according to New York City police.
Church pastor Christopher Heanue wrote on the churchās Facebook page that the baby was a boy and weighed a little more than 5lb (2.27kg). Emergency crews brought the newborn to a local hospital, where he was in good health, police said.
New York has a so-called safe haven law that says a newborn can be dropped off anonymously at a church, hospital, police or fire station without fear of prosecution.
However, the law, known as the Abandoned Infant Protection Act, requires that the child be left with someone, or, for authorities to be called immediately. Police said that didnāt happen in this case, which has led investigators to begin searching for the person who left the child at the church.
Officers were canvassing the neighbourhood around the church, looking for surveillance cameras that may have recorded something of use to them. Authorities said they were also questioning witnesses to try to track down the babyās mother.
āLet us pray for this child, for his parents and for whomever will receive him into their home,ā Heanue wrote.
