One New York City church’s nativity scene literally became life-like when a baby was found in a manger.
A maintenance worker at the Holy Child Jesus Catholic Church in Queens found the crying baby around noon on Monday, November 23, according to the NYPD.
The worker was inside the church cleaning when he heard a baby’s wails coming from the nativity scene, which was set up earlier than usual this year. The Reverend Christopher Ryan Heanue was informed of the child’s presence by the church secretary.
“The secretary burst in and said, ‘Father, there’s an emergency in the church, you have to come.”
In Jesus’ place in the manger was the newborn, only a few hours old. “There was a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, in a towel,” said Bishop Octavio Cisnero, who was also at the church when the baby was discovered, his words echoing the actual Nativity of Jesus. EMTs checked out the child, who did not appear to have any significant health issues.
Surveillance footage captured an unidentified woman leaving the church about 20 minutes before the baby was found. It is unclear whether the woman will face charges since the church is considered a Safe Haven under New York law, which means a person can leave a baby under 30 days old at suitable locations, including hospitals, firehouses, and some churches. However, someone must be contacted about the child’s presence immediately. Since no one was told, the woman could face prosecution if identified.
For now, the baby is in safe hands and some church members have even shown interest in adopting the newborn.
“This child, we believe, is a gift, almost, to this parish,” Heanue said about the unexpected Christmas present his congregation received.
Image via Flickr/Lindsey Turner, resized
