Mother Charged In Connection With Alleged Abandonment Of Baby In Harlem Park
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The mother of a baby who was found in a stroller outside in the cold in Harlem has been charged in connection with her son's alleged abandonment.
The parents, who are both 18, turned themselves in to police Monday morning.
The mother, Kenyetta Rowell of Staten Island, has been charged with reckless endangerment and false reporting, 1010 WINS' Al Jones reported. The father will not be charged at this time, according to police.
Michael Allen said he found the baby Sunday night after he looked out his window around 9 p.m. and saw a stroller sitting in the middle of Renaissance Playground on West 143rd Street.
"I couldn't believe my eyes," he said. "Once I saw that, I had to come downstairs and see closer what was going on."
Allen said he found the baby wrapped in warm clothes, but completely alone. The park was locked.
"He was dressed warm, really alert," he said. "There was formula down there, seemed like he was packed up, he was packed up and wrapped very well."
Allen flagged down a fire truck that was just pulling in to the station across the street.
Firefighters brought the baby inside the station and then rushed him to Harlem Hospital where he was checked out, but did not appear to have any visible injuries.
Authorities said the baby is around 6 months old.
Allen said he feels a bond with the baby he and firefighters nicknamed "Little Sunday" and brought one of his own children's stuffed teddy bears to Harlem Hospital Monday morning for the baby boy.
"He is adorable," Allen said. "He kept staring at me. His eyes were just piercing me like 'I know it was you that got me out of this cold.'"
New York does have a "safe haven law" which allows parents to leave babies at places such as fire houses and hospitals without facing legal charges, but only if the infant is younger than 30 days.
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