A lifeless infant was discovered abandoned in the restroom of a Financial District restaurant on Monday morning, prompting authorities to urgently investigate the shocking case, according to law enforcement sources.
A child’s body was found shortly before 10 a.m. in the restroom of Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine on Fulton Street near Gold Street in downtown, according to police and sources. The child’s gender and age have not been disclosed yet.
Authorities reported that police arrived at the scene following a 911 call and discovered the baby in an unconscious and unresponsive state.
Emergency services confirmed the infant was declared deceased at the location, according to police reports.
“It’s horrific — it’s a baby,” a neighborhood mom told The Post. “I’m assuming it’s someone who had no other option. They’re probably desperate.
“This kind of stuff usually points to a systemic problem,” she said. “Why would a mother of a young infant feel so desperate to do that? Why would she feel she has no other option than to do that?
“That’s horrible. I can’t believe that happened.”
Nito Ali, an employee at a local deli, reported that he provided NYPD detectives with surveillance footage from his establishment.
“They asked for camera video for this store area … to see who just comes in there and who’s not, like, the person who dropped the baby or something,” Ali said. “I really don’t know.
“It’s crazy, man. It happens from God.”
An individual claiming to be the assistant manager at Sophie’s stated that law enforcement permitted the restaurant to continue its operations.
“Right now we don’t have any information,” she said. “They’re doing the investigation. We don’t know anything.”
The investigation into the baby’s death is ongoing, and it remains unclear if any criminal activity is involved.
There have been no apprehensions thus far.