Authorities are investigating after a newborn baby girl was found abandoned at the Penn Station subway station in Manhattan on Monday morning, according to the New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow.
Officials said they received an anonymous tip at about 9:27 a.m. that led officers to the W. 34th Street and 7th Avenue station, where the child was discovered at the bottom of a staircase leading to the southbound No. 1, 2, and 3 train platforms.
The baby was described as a newborn. She was conscious and alert when found wrapped in a blanket, police told ABC7. The baby was taken to Bellevue Hospital to be evaluated, where her condition has been reported as stable.Crichlow praised first responders for their quick action. “I’m calling it the ‘Miracle on 34th Street,’” Crichlow said on MTA Live, the official livestream YouTube channel of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for New York.
Crichlow also said the Fire Department of the City of New York and the police department responded when they found a baby who was alone and wrapped in the blanket. He confirmed in a video interview on MTA Live that the baby was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition.
“We don’t have any other additional information on top of that,” he said. Crichlow added that while few details are known, he was thankful for the emergency crews’ response. “Just grateful for the work of the NYPD for responding and caring for the baby,” he said.
The discovery occurred during the morning rush hour, one of the busiest periods at Penn Station, a major transit hub that connects the subway, Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road, and New Jersey Transit.
Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from numerous cameras throughout the station to determine who left the infant.
It also remains unclear how long the newborn baby had been left unattended before being found. The department said the investigation is ongoing.
New York State’s Abandoned Infant Protection Act allows a parent to anonymously surrender a baby up to 30 days old without facing criminal charges, according to New York’s Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS).
“A parent is not guilty of a crime if the infant is left with an appropriate person or in a suitable location and the parent promptly notifies an appropriate person of the infant’s location,” the OCFS states. “A hospital, staffed police or fire station are examples of safe and suitable choices.”