Police said the baby boy spent about seven hours in an employee bathroom before another worker found him and called for help.
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — A 32-year-old ShopRite employee was taken into custody after police said she gave birth to a baby boy in a supermarket restroom and left him there for about seven hours before another employee found the newborn alive Sunday morning.
The infant was taken to White Plains Hospital and remained in stable condition Monday, according to the White Plains Police Department. The woman, a White Plains resident whose name had not been publicly released, was also receiving medical treatment and was reported in stable condition. Police said Westchester County Child Protective Services was assisting with the baby’s future care while investigators worked with the district attorney’s office on possible criminal charges.
Police said the woman gave birth at about 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, in an employee bathroom at the ShopRite inside the City Center shopping complex. The newborn remained there until another store employee discovered him roughly seven hours later Sunday morning, according to police accounts provided to local news organizations. The employee called 911, setting off an emergency response and an investigation into how the child came to be left in the restroom.
ShopRite said store associates who found the infant immediately contacted emergency services and cared for the baby until first responders arrived. Police said emergency personnel provided medical attention at the scene before taking the newborn to the hospital. White Plains officials credited the rapid response with helping secure the child’s safety. Authorities have not publicly provided additional information about the baby’s medical condition beyond saying he was stable.
The White Plains Police Department initially announced Sunday that its Criminal Investigations Division was treating the case as a potential child-abandonment investigation. Harrison police and Westchester County police K9 teams assisted as authorities searched for the person believed to have left the baby. The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office Special Prosecution Unit was also contacted to assist with the investigation.
By Monday, police said a suspect had been identified and taken into custody. The department’s written update did not identify that person, but White Plains police officials told local news outlets that the person in custody was the baby’s 32-year-old mother, who works at the ShopRite. Police said she was receiving medical care following the birth. Authorities had not announced formal criminal charges as of Monday night.
Investigators were processing multiple crime scenes and conducting witness and informational interviews, police said. Officials did not publicly explain what locations beyond the supermarket were being examined or what evidence had been collected. The department said the investigation remained active and that it was working closely with the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office to determine whether charges should be filed.
The case also prompted White Plains officials to highlight New York’s Abandoned Infant Protection Act, commonly known as the Safe Haven law. Under the law, an infant no more than 30 days old may be left in a safe place without criminal liability for abandonment when specific conditions are met, including ensuring the child is left safely with an appropriate person or at a suitable location and promptly notifying someone of the infant’s whereabouts. Police said hospitals, police stations and fire stations are among locations that may qualify.
Public Safety Commissioner Wade Hardy said the law is intended to provide a legal way for someone to safely relinquish a newborn, including anonymously under qualifying circumstances. Authorities have not determined publicly whether any provision of that law applies to the ShopRite case. The question of criminal liability remained under review by prosecutors Monday.
The baby remained hospitalized in stable condition as Child Protective Services worked on plans for his care. The woman remained in custody while receiving medical treatment, and police said further updates would be released as the investigation progressed. No charges had been publicly announced by the end of Monday.