Baby Found in Shoebox with Breathing Hole in Long Island Lobby

by Jordan Yerman | June 24, 2009 at 11:39 am

128278 views | 30 Recommendations | 464 comments

An abandoned baby was found in a shoebox with a breathing hole in the lobby of an apartment building in Long Island, New York today. Less than a day old, the infant was noticed by a man who heard her crying from in side a Timberland shoebox. Estimated to be less than a day old, the baby's umbilical cord was tied with dental floss.

The girl, whose identity remains unknown, appears to be healty.

Police are hunting the mother, who will face child abandonment charges.

The infant was described as light skinned, white or Hispanic, and was dressed in a striped one-piece outfit and another yellow onesie emblazoned with the word "bounce."

Anyone with information should call the Nassau County Crime Stoppers hotline at (800) 244-TIPS.

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xoxoxoxox (not verified)

at 01:38 on June 25th, 2009

Why would she be charged? She left the baby to be found alive. Most in her shoes would have done worse. We see it everyday. Give the baby to someone who has been waiting to add a child in thier lives and move on with it. Be grateful the baby is alive!

DUH (not verified)

at 02:30 on June 25th, 2009

duh...leaving a baby in an apartment building?? i don't care how desperate you are. if you leave a baby at the police, fire department, or hospital, you wong get charged. come on people, pull your head out of your you know what. it's a life!!! oh gee...thank goodness she left it a breathing hole, just like a puppy!!

Kalea (not verified)

at 04:43 on June 25th, 2009

The law that governs leaving a baby at a medical facility, police station or fire station has certain constraints. First, you must leave the baby with a health care professional or other official. You must submit your name and address and other relevant information. This must be done within 7 days of the baby's birth. While this law is meant to prevent abandonment of newborn infants in unsafe places, it is still often difficult for young, naive, and frightened mothers to give this information. Often they are afraid of reprisals and are ignorant of the actual terms of the law. Now, the terms here listed are in MY state. Some states do not require the mother's name or other information. There are different limits depending on what state you are living in. If you are interested in this law see this link:

skylare (not verified)

at 07:43 on June 25th, 2009

Not all laws or States require you to leave any information with the baby as long a the baby appears to be healthy. In New Jersey you can drop a baby off at any hospital, fire department, police department, etc without any questions asked at all. You just drop the baby off and leave. I feel this is not the correct way of doing that as the baby should have some record of where and who they came from. Although, it is a program that works (there are always going to be cases where people get scared and leave babies in places they hope where the baby will be found alive).

dern (not verified)

at 18:12 on June 25th, 2009

You are mistaken to say the child should know where she came from. Some children are better off having no knowledge of their parents. Whoever adopts her should say they know nothing of her birth parents. Would you like to tell her that her parents did not want her or love her and abandoned her. This would hurt her irreparibly.

gayle25 (not verified)

at 20:09 on June 25th, 2009

Dem is 100% correct. Tell the child as little as possible about the parents. Every adopted person I know is devastated to learn their birth parents did not love or want them. It leaves a feeling of low self-worth with the child for a lifetime.

Cabbage Patch Kid (not verified)

at 22:13 on June 25th, 2009

I am adopted and was in no way, shape, or form devastated to "learn my bio parents did not love or want me".

It appears you are misinformed. It takes great courage and love for one's child to entrust them to a stranger in hopes of giving them an opportunity for a life that could not be provided any other way.

I am an empowered, strong, and self-fulfilled woman who is thankful every day that my biological parents made the decison to allow me the life and upbringing I have been afforded by my family. Can't say I struggle one bit with low self-worth... neither in the past, the present, nor the rest of my "lifetime".

Stacy Fee (not verified)

at 19:27 on June 25th, 2009

Actually they do not have to leave their name. We encourage them to give us details as far as when child was born, weight, and any health conditions that they may have, ie: drug use during pregnancy.

mea (not verified)

at 22:28 on June 25th, 2009

no, you do NOT need to leave ANY information when you drop a baby off at a police, fire station or hospital at all! And, you can come back within 48 hours to claim the baby if you change your mind all without any charges. Please, don't put out wrong information! It's hard enough to get these moms to drop them off at the appropriate places. They do have to give them to an official person at the facility only so that official can ask them if it is their intent to give the baby up-legal reasons. The baby is then on a fast track for adoption. I know this because I was the Director of an Adoption Agency.....she will be charged because she did abandon her baby. The baby was not in a safe place to get any needed help.

kimberly o (not verified)

at 17:39 on July 2nd, 2009

My husband and I had finished our homestudy in March with the Suffolk County DSS. Our goal was to be able to adopt a 0-5 year old preferably an infant through foster care because we dont have the money to go through an adoption agency after exhausting everything on unsuccessful Invitro procedures. We hear these stories like the baby left on June 25th in the showbox yet we haven't received one call from the DSS. We assumed it wouldnt be this hard once we went throught the training and recived a homestudy certification. But still, no child. No calls. In your professional experience can you make any other suggestions to us? Where do these babies go when their abandoned like that? What other avenues are out there?

Thank you!!!

No "Duh" (not verified)

at 05:27 on June 25th, 2009

So many people think like you do (I know we are all entitled to our opinions). Who ever delivered this baby is obviously not in the right frame of mind. Would you have rather she dumped her into a trash can? Now take our President's stand . . . he believes that an abortion can be done up until the birth of the baby (or close to it). If the abortion fails and the baby is born, IT IS LEGAL to give birth to a baby (who will receive a birth certificate) and order that nothing be done to keep the baby alive. It is then given a death certificate. What is wrong with the way some people think? Check my facts and you'll find it's true and it is a legal crime. The girl/lady who abandoned this baby should not have criminal charges brought against her. It is obvious that she loved the baby, but was scared to death to let those around her know she had a baby. Perhaps the baby is a product of incest or rape. If anything, this person should be able to receive help, not a criminal record. There are so many people who want babies. Whoever gets the baby should support the birthmother in her decision. It will be the healthiest thing for birthmother, adoptive mother and most importantly, the baby girl.

WMAB (not verified)

at 06:00 on June 25th, 2009

I did indeed check your facts and am glad to say YOU are entirely WRONG on all counts. At no time did President Obama state that he believes an abortion can be done close to a baby being born, and the only time a parent can agree to withold any efforts to keep the baby alive unless it is determined that there is no way the baby will live with out heroic measures. There is no such thing as a "legal crime". I believe that criminal charges should be brought against the person who did this. It is a criminal act on many counts.

It's time you started thinking for yourself and not just blurt out the propaganda that religous leaders have mislead you to believe is truth.

Eva T. (not verified)

at 06:38 on June 25th, 2009

Hmmmm...I'm not sure you did ALL of your homework, as the facts you did quote are, indeed, wrong. For your reference is the following:

Obama has consistently refused to support legislation that would define an infant who survives a late-term induced-labor abortion as a human being with the right to live. He insists that no restriction must ever be placed on the right of a mother to decide to abort her child.

On March 30, 2001, Obama was the only Illinois senator who rose to speak against a bill that would have protected babies who survived late term labor-induced abortion. Obama rose to object that if the bill passed, and a nine-month-old fetus survived a late-term labor-induced abortion was deemed to be a person who had a right to live, then the law would "forbid abortions to take place." Obama further explained the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment does not allow somebody to kill a child, so if the law deemed a child who survived a late-term labor-induced abortion had a right to live, "then this would be an anti-abortion statute."

This information can be found on http://www.ontheissues.org/Social/Barack_Obama_Abortion.htm

Abortion is murder period. I find it very sad that this woman's circumstances had to bring her to putting her baby girl in a shoebox and leaving it. However,

Somebody Private (not verified)

at 06:38 on June 25th, 2009

No she should NOT be charged. She could have dumped the baby in the trash or worse. If the system wasn't so underhanded at times, maybe she would have felt comfortable going to the authorities. I wish I knew her, I'd support her fully and would NOT report it.

pro-life (not verified)

at 08:03 on June 25th, 2009

Tiller back from the grave? You are an idiot who deserves god's wrath at the appropriate time!!

anonymous 1 (not verified)

at 08:39 on June 25th, 2009

your a dumbass who needs help. your a pathetic excuse for a life maybe someone should have done this to you or maybe not even let you live

jesus glispp (not verified)

at 15:49 on June 25th, 2009

Those are evil words. You must get help.

NOEMI (not verified)

at 10:13 on June 25th, 2009

WOW I AM SO AMAZED AT HOW IGNORANT AND STUPID SOME PEOPLE CAN BE. I AM A MOTHER AND I DO NOT SUPPORT WHO EVER DID THIS AND THOSE THAT DO SUPPORT HER WILL BURN IN HELL JUST LIKE SHE WILL!!!!!

etcmason (not verified)

at 11:29 on June 25th, 2009

Really? Well if you want to throw the word ignorant around let me just emphasize that if you are someone who can't take care of your kids on your own without state assistance including medical you shouldn't get a vote! So miss high and mighty you better be one heck of a responsible person who only has what you can afford and knows better than to take on more to be able to pass your horrific judgement upon others.

colleen drake (not verified)

at 12:34 on June 25th, 2009

Amen!!!!

srhube (not verified)

at 16:34 on June 25th, 2009

"Well if you want to throw the word ignorant around let me just emphasize that if you are someone who can't take care of your kids on your own without state assistance including medical you shouldn't get a vote! " - seriously? You know you should think before you write..... I have busted my rear end for many years working and providing for my family. Just recently I lost my job - by no fault of mine - and have had to apply for state assistance to make sure that my family is fed and keeps a roof over our head... I never thought that I would have to ask for help, but at a time like this I feel like I deserve it.

shiali (not verified)

at 18:24 on June 25th, 2009

I agree with you and I am proud of you for standing up for what is right. No person who is a hard worker wants to apply for state assistance but sometimes is is just plain necessary and since you have worked and put in money for this program, use it until you find a good job to keep your family fed.

soon to be mom (not verified)

at 19:53 on June 25th, 2009

i am 35 weeks prego. shortly after i found out i was expecting, i lost my job. i got a new one about a month later but when they found out i was expecting they did not want to hire me but had no choice because they cant no hire my just because im prego. and after they hired me they tried everything to fire me and eventually did. i had no choice but to apply for state assistance. im 23 years old and understand what this mother must have felt, although i do not think what she did was right but she could have done worse, but also could have done better. atleast the baby girl was found and is in a healthy state. i hope she continues to stay that way. may God bless her!

anonimous666 (not verified)

at 11:43 on June 25th, 2009

you're probably one of these parents that beat the fuck out of your kids just like the bible says spare the rod...you are already in hell so fuck you bich

SarahGirl (not verified)

at 20:08 on June 25th, 2009

This is a truly digusting comment. Clearly you have no idea who this person is or how they raise their children, yet you feel like you need to make assumptions and throw ugly words at them. The only reason that you wrote this comment is that you are too uneducated to formulate something with actual substance to say. You probably throw these words at people every time you hear a comment you disagree with, because saying rude words makes you feel like a bigger person. However the fact is I feel sorry for someone so immature and ignorant. If anyone is in "hell" it is you in the bitter and sad world you are creating for yourself. By the way, it is spelled anonymous, so the next time you're too scared to put a name at least spell the word right.

colleen drake (not verified)

at 12:30 on June 25th, 2009

wow I am amazed at how ignorant and stupid you are. who are you to judge someone and say they will burn in hell. you know the bible says those with out sin be the first to cast a stone!!! also not to judge your neighbor for you will be judged on judgement day..

I am not saying what she did was the right thing to do but more than likly this girl was very young and didnt know what else to do. if she would have went to the hospital they would have questioned her and the same any other place she would have went. The baby is ok and it seems like she wanted to make sure of that. I am also sure she will live in her own hell for the rest of her life for the choice she made. But that is her to deal with not us. she will answer to this one day.

nieja (not verified)

at 14:51 on June 25th, 2009

Judge not and be not judged. You have no clue what the circumstances were!

jesus glispp (not verified)

at 15:51 on June 25th, 2009

Mam, your words are evil, please read the bible.

She will not go to hell.

stefanike (not verified)

at 18:16 on June 25th, 2009

You my dear are in no position to judge, none of us are. I have seen both ends of this story and this poor girl , whoever she may be, obviously has many issues in her life especially to make such a poor decision as she has. The problem that I have with everyones nasty comments is that none of you know who she is - you are all so very quick to judge someone you don't even know. She could have been a 10 year old girl who didn't know any better of what to do in her situation. Maybe she is mentally ill or mentally challanged and couldn't make responsible decisions for herself. Maybe she was in fact raped or this baby was a product of incest. Either way, here is the question I have - Where are her people? the people that love her and should have been looking after her? Where is the community that is suppose to have helped raise her? Obviously they have failed her deeply. We should all be thankful that this little baby is alive and well. God has watched over her until someone found her. That is a miracle! Claiming yourself to be a MOTHER doesn't justify you the right to spew garbage on the net when you don't know the facts. Only God can judge this girl and something tells me that he is already chosen to look after her and her baby.

iteach (not verified)

at 18:50 on June 25th, 2009

Thank goodness there are openedminded people like you who do not judge by what is written in the news. We may never know the circumstances that lead this woman to do what she did. I am sure she will never forget the moment she walked away.