One-Year-Old Found Abandoned In Times Square
- NYPD discovered a one-year-old child abandoned in Times Square and are investigating how long the child was left. - Officers are working to identify the child's guardian and determine the circumstances of the abandonment. - The child was placed into protective custody while detectives continue their probe, per Patch report (patch.com).
New York police are searching for the person who left a 1-year-old girl alone in a stroller in Times Square late Tuesday night. Officers found the child just after 11 p.m. near West 44th Street and Broadway. (ny1.com) The New York Police Department said the girl was conscious and alert when officers arrived after a 911 call reporting a possible crime. CBS New York reported that a police source said the child was taken to Northwell Greenwich Village Hospital for evaluation. (cbsnews.com) Detectives are reviewing surveillance video and trying to identify the child’s parent or guardian. ABC7 New York reported that investigators believe they are looking for the girl’s father, who they say frequents the Times Square area. (abc7ny.com) The case moved quickly from a street response to child welfare custody. NY1 said the girl is now in the care of the city’s Administration for Children’s Services while the police search continues. (ny1.com) That agency handles emergency child protection cases in New York City and can bring matters into Family Court when a child has been removed by police or child welfare workers. The New York State court system says those cases are used to decide what action is needed to protect the child. (nycourts.gov) New York has a legal way for parents to surrender a newborn safely, but it does not apply here. Under the state’s Abandoned Infant Protection Act, a baby can be left anonymously at a hospital, fire station, ambulance station, or police station only within the first 30 days after birth. (ocfs.ny.gov) For older babies and children, city and state guidance points parents to the Administration for Children’s Services or Child Protective Services rather than leaving a child in public. The state Office of Children and Family Services says every county’s Child Protective Services unit is required to investigate abuse or maltreatment reports and protect children from further harm. (ocfs.ny.gov) As of Wednesday night, police had announced no arrest and had not publicly identified the adult they are seeking. The child was found in one of the busiest commercial corridors in the country, but the next step in the case is basic: find the adult who left her there and determine whether criminal charges follow. (pix11.com)
