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- Mom arrested after leaving baby girl at New York subway station (abcnews.go.com)
Mother Arrested in “Miracle on 34th Street” Baby Abandonment Case
NEW YORK – The mother of a newborn baby discovered abandoned at a Midtown Manhattan subway station has been apprehended, authorities confirmed. Assa Diawara, 30, was taken into custody early Wednesday in Queens, facing charges of abandonment of a child and endangering the welfare of a child.
The infant girl, wrapped in a blanket, was found on the southbound 1 train platform at the 34th Street-Penn Station during the Monday morning rush hour. Following her discovery, the baby was transported to a local hospital and is reported to be in stable condition. New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow notably referred to the incident as “the miracle on 34th Street.”
On Tuesday morning, the NYPD released surveillance footage of Diawara, then unidentified, in an effort to secure her identity. Investigators successfully tracked a trail of surveillance camera footage, ultimately leading them to Diawara.
According to an NYPD official, detectives followed video of Diawara taking a car service to Jamaica, Queens. Officers then canvassed the drop-off area, where a neighbor recognized her from the circulated surveillance footage.
Upon confronting Diawara on Tuesday, police stated that she admitted to abandoning her daughter.
This incident highlights New York’s Abandoned Infant Protection Act, which allows a parent to leave a newborn, up to 30 days old, at a safe place such as a hospital, police station, or fire station. Under this act, parents are protected from prosecution and can remain anonymous, provided the baby is left in a safe location and the appropriate personnel are notified.
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- Mom arrested after leaving baby girl at New York subway station (abcnews.go.com)