A heartbreaking incident unfolded in a Bronx neighborhood when a newborn baby girl was found abandoned outside a private home. The story took a turn when the mother, 26-year-old Delfina Galvez, turned herself in to the New York Police Department a day after surveillance footage of her was shared with the public. The footage showed her carrying a green tote bag, which allegedly held the tiny baby inside.
The baby girl was discovered on the morning of December 29 by Mamadou Hafiz Jallow, a resident of the apartment where the child was left. At around 6:00 a.m., while Jallow was at prayer services at a nearby mosque, a neighbor called to inform him about the baby. Rushing back home, he found the baby wrapped in blankets inside the tote bag.
Jallow immediately acted, bringing the baby inside to protect her from the freezing temperatures and then calling 911. “It was cold, I had to take the baby inside. I didn’t want to mess with any evidence, but it was too cold to leave her out there,” Jallow later shared. He described the surreal moment, saying, “It’s amazing. I never thought something like this would happen in my life.”
When Jallow first saw the baby, she was quiet, blinking her eyes, and moving her tiny hand. She wasn’t crying but seemed alert. The baby, believed to be just a few days old, was taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi, where medical staff confirmed she was in good condition and expected to recover.
Interestingly, Jallow’s apartment is located next to Family Services Network of New York Inc., a nonprofit organization that offers support to families. Under New York State’s Abandoned Infant Protection Act, parents can safely surrender newborns under 30 days old at designated places like hospitals, fire stations, or police stations. However, it’s essential that someone is notified when the baby is dropped off.
Galvez, who lives just down the street from where the baby was left, turned herself in at the NYPD’s 46th Precinct in the Bronx after seeing the footage circulating. She now faces charges including reckless endangerment, abandonment of a child, and acting in a manner harmful to a child.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of safe surrender laws, which exist to protect vulnerable infants while offering struggling parents a safe and legal way to seek help. Thankfully, the baby is now safe and in the care of professionals, but the story has left the community shaken and reflective.
