Source: ABC News
A teenager walked into the El Patron restaurant in Jersey City on with a newborn, handed the baby to a customer and then left. The entire incident was captured on the restaurant’s surveillance video.
Alease Scott and her boyfriend Walter Cocca were eating lunch there when the teen told them she had found the child asked for help. Scott didn’t hesitate — fortunately, she happens to be in trained in CPR and first aid.
“I said do you mind if I check the baby’s vitals, she readily handed the baby over to me so my focus went right onto the baby,” Scott says.
Restaurant owner Frankie Aguilar said the teen handed the baby to Scott and walked out. The newborn girl still had a portion of the umbilical cord attached.
Scott and her boyfriend could tell the baby was having trouble breathing. Police were called and quickly responded with medical gear and oxygen.
“Once I applied the oxygen mask to the baby, all of a sudden we heard the most beautiful cry and the baby started moving, she slightly opened up her eyes and then she closed her eyes but the sweetest thing was when she got hungry and she was trying to suckle on the oxygen mask so we knew she was OK after that,” Scott said.
Police found the teen mother, who they say will not be facing charges. They are both under medical care and are said to bee doing well. The child will be put up for adoption, and at this point, the 14-year-old is not facing charges.
Scott said she would love to see the baby again and she and her boyfriend would happily be godparents. “I’m just so happy I was there to help because she just was desperate and didn’t know what to do, she was so young,” Scott said.
Mr. Aguilar agrees, saying he was happy that the teenage mom decided to go to their restaurant for help, “and hopefully we as a society become better at just helping one another, especially after COVID.”
New Jersey has a Safe Haven Infant Protection Act law which allows parents and guardians to anonymously drop off babies 30 days and younger at hospitals, police stations or fire stations.