Newborn left at cathedral baptized, turned over to police

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – A newborn baby has been found abandoned at a cathedral in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Police said Thursday the infant boy was found Wednesday night in a laundry basket by a custodian in the entryway of the Cathedral of St. Paul. The newborn was wrapped in blankets and was not injured.

St. Paul Police Sgt. Mike Ernster says the baby was taken to a hospital and then turned over to Ramsey County Child Protection.

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis says the janitor who discovered the baby alerted the cathedral’s rector, the Rev. John Ubel, who called 911 and baptized the baby while they waited for police.

State law allows a mother, or someone with her permission, to anonymously leave a newborn at a safe place without fear of prosecution.