Abandoned baby found by PSMEMC employee

Just before 3 a.m. Tuesday morning, Teresa Alvarez arrived from her Logan Square home, keys in hand to unlock the door at the Nazareth Family Center, 1127 N. Oakley Blvd. It is what she does routinely when starting work at the Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center (PSMEMC). But this morning wasn't going to be routine. 

She saw that someone had thrown a woman's jacket on the ground next to the garbage receptacle by the door. As she was reaching toward it, it moved. 

Cautiously pulling open the edge she saw a baby. "It was such a tiny baby," she said. "She began crying." 

Alvarez immediately called 911. "They were not coming quickly so I went inside and called security," she explained.  Then a City Ambulance came.  Interestingly, on that ambulance was an ER technician from PSMEMC working as a paramedic, said John Hennelly, Strategy and Growth Officer, Mid City Region at Presence Health. 

The baby was put in the ambulance and taken around the block to the PSMEMC Emergency entrance. "They stabilized the body temperature and then our protocol is to transfer to Children's [Lurie Children's Hospital] just to be safe. The child is doing well. 

"Only hours old and covered in blood and dirt from the birth, in the environment and the outdoor temperatures she was in, the ER docs said that said that two more hours and she would not have made it. So she was lucky that Teresa came by." 

The care givers at the hospital say, "Great job in getting the child here, but the best thing you can do for your child is to put him/her in the hands of a person. It is not just that it is the law but it keeps the baby safe." 

This case speaks to that point. If Alvarez would not have found her at three but rather five or six in the morning, the baby would probably not have survived. 

The Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has custody of the baby. According to Veronica Resa, DCFS' Associate Deputy Director of Communications, said that the 12th Police District is investigating the case. 

Under the Illinois Safe Haven law, parents may give up a newborn baby within 30 days of its birth, if they feel as though they cannot handle the responsibility. The child must be given to someone at a safe place such as a hospital, emergency care facility or a  police or fire station. 

According to Hennelly, today's incident has not happened liked this before. "Many years ago, the Presence Health system had a couple of hospitals who have received babies like this. But not in several years." 

PSMEMC is a beacon for many residents on Chicago's near northwest side. The corner stone of St. Elizabeth's Hospital was laid on October 17, 1886, while St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital was established in 1894. Separately and then together, they have been the places of joy and sorrow for thousands of families for more than 125 years. 

"It is these types of events that reaffirm why we are here," said Hennelly. "And it makes us feel good about what we do. We take pride in working together and having good results."