By Bill Parry
The body of a newborn baby was discovered inside a garbage can at the Dutch Kills Playground in Astoria Saturday morning.
A passerby found the boy’s body, with its umbilical cord still attached, wrapped in plastic and called 911 just before 11 a.m.
First responders arrived at the park — located at 36th Avenue and Crescent Street, just behind PS 112 — and transported the child to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death, according to the NYPD.
Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said the death and disposal of the “full term baby boy,” who appeared healthy with no deformities or external trauma, is tragic and did not have to happen.
“New York’s Safe Haven Law allows a parent to leave a child [30] days or younger with an appropriate person or in a suitable location, such as a hospital, police station, firehouse or church where the parent promptly notifies an appropriate person of the child’s location,” Brown said. “Unfortunately, the mother of this baby did not adhere to the law and instead chose to stuff the infant in a bag and discard him in a garbage can.”
There have been no arrests and the investigation is ongoing by the 114th Precinct’s Detective Squad and the Queens North Homicide Detective Squad.
The Queens DA’s office notes that there is a Safe Haven Hotline in New York where a parent who wishes to leave their child, can call and the child will be picked up by child care workers. The number is 1-877-796-HOPE.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparr
