Newborn baby with umbilical cord attached found in New York church's nativity scene

Police said a woman was seen on security camera arriving with the boy wrapped in a towel and left without out him

The full-term baby was found lying in the manger at the Holy Jesus Child Church, in the Richmond Hill neighbourhood of Queens. (Google Street View )

A newborn baby with its umbilical cord still attached has been found abandoned in the manger of a nativity scene at a New York church.

The full-term baby was found shortly after 1pm on Monday lying in the manger at the Holy Jesus Child Church, in the Richmond Hill neighbourhood of Queens.

Custodian Jose Moran had arranged the empty manger, at the front of the church before going to lunch.

After hearing the baby cry, Mr Moran alerted the parish priest, the Reverend Christopher Ryan Heanue and called 911.

The baby was taken to the nearby Jamaica Hospital Centre by paramedics, where doctors said it had only been born four or five hours earlier.

Police said a woman was seen on video arriving with the boy wrapped in a towel, and left without him.

Father Heanue said the baby "seemed very healthy and was said to be in stable condition”.

He went on to say that he could think of no better place to leave a baby. “I think it’s beautiful. A church is home for those in need, and she felt, in this stable – a place where Jesus will find his home – a home for her child.

“A young couple in our parish would love to adopt this child and keep this gift in our community. It would make a great Christmas miracle.”

Under the New York State Abandoned Infant Protection Act, known as the safe haven law, a person can leave their unwanted baby who is up to 30 days old with any responsible adult at a suitable location, without being prosecuted. These include fire stations, hospitals and churches.

The New York Times reported that the police said the baby was not left with anyone, nor was anyone alerted. They video has not been released and the police are investigating the incident.