By Jeremy Walsh
City Councilman Hiram Monserrate (D-East Elmhurst) made the announcement at his State of the District address Thursday.”The Moncada family has four boys,” he said. “All their lives, they wanted a girl.”Monserrate said he would speak to the commissioner of the city's Administration for Children's Services to try to expedite the process.Baby Christina was turned over to ACS after being released from Elmhurst Hospital Center. She is currently living with a foster family in Middle Village. She is slated to stay with the family until June while ACS allows for her biological parents to either come forward or be identified. If no one comes forward, ACS said, then the family and other interested parties- can petition to legally adopt the baby girl.The Moncada boys, their friend Gabriel Mercedes and neighbor Luis heard the baby crying and called paramedics. Staff at Elmhurst Hospital said Christina, whom they named for Christmas, the holiday closest to her birth, was only hours old and would have died if she had remained in the Dumpster much longer.The teenagers were honored at numerous ceremonies by state Sen. John Sabini (D-Jackson Heights), the 110th and 115th Precinct community councils, and by Monserrate, who established a college fund for the boys and Christina.Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e-mail at jwalsh@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
