A newborn found alone in a women’s restroom at a ShopRite in White Plains early Sunday is recovering at a local hospital as police investigate the circumstances surrounding the abandonment.
White Plains police and emergency personnel were called to the ShopRite at 13 City Place, inside the City Center shopping complex, after the infant was discovered in the restroom. First responders secured the area and quickly arranged medical care for the baby.
The newborn was taken to White Plains Hospital and was reported to be in stable condition Sunday, according to the White Plains Department of Public Safety.
The White Plains Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division is handling the case as a potential child-abandonment investigation. Police are being assisted by the Harrison Police Department and Westchester County Police K9 teams as they work to identify the person responsible for leaving the infant.
The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office Special Prosecution Unit has also been contacted and is assisting with the investigation, according to city officials.
Authorities have not publicly identified a person responsible for the abandonment, and the investigation remains active. Police are asking anyone who may have information about what happened to contact the White Plains Police Department at 914-422-6111.
Police Remind Public About New York’s Safe Haven Law
Following the discovery, White Plains public safety officials reminded residents about New York’s Safe Haven law, also known as the Abandoned Infant Protection Act.
The law provides a legal way for a person to surrender an infant who is no more than 30 days old at designated safe locations, including a hospital, police station or fire station, or to an appropriate person. The law requires the infant to be left with the intent that the child remain safe from physical injury and receive proper care, and the appropriate person must be promptly notified of the infant’s location.
Officials said the purpose of the law is to provide a safe option for newborns in situations where a parent or caregiver may feel unable to provide care. They also emphasized that help can be sought without placing a child in danger.
Police also warned the public about a photograph circulating on social media that has been falsely identified as showing the infant involved in this case. The White Plains Department of Public Safety said the image is not of the newborn found at the ShopRite.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities continue working to determine what led to the infant being left in the restroom.
