White Plains woman charged in newborn abandonment at ShopRite

Guerlande Atila, 32, of White Plains, has been charged with felony child abandonment following the discovery of an abandoned newborn in a ShopRite supermarket. The infant was found in an employee restroom at the City Center shopping complex in White Plains, New York, around 6:40 a.m. on a Sunday.

Paramedics provided emergency care to the infant before transporting the child to White Plains Hospital, where they were listed in stable condition. The child is currently in the care of Westchester County Child Protective Services.

White Plains Commissioner Wade Hardy noted that while the event has left a family deeply traumatized, officials hope the child will grow up in a loving environment. Authorities also noted that New York’s Safe Haven law allows infants under 30 days old to be left at designated locations without facing criminal charges.