The Yonkers Police Department announced Thursday that the 21-year-old mother of a baby who was found in the hallway of an apartment building earlier this week was arrested and charged.

Jaqueline Marleni Perez, of Yonkers, is now facing a felony charge.

Police say Perez gave birth on Tuesday around 3:30 p.m. and abandoned the newborn around 7:30 p.m. inside a hallway at 32 Chestnut St.

A tenant found the baby dressed in a T-shirt swaddled in a blanket laying on the floor and the tenant called police.

When EMS arrived, they found the umbilical cord still attached with a black string wrapped around it.

The newborn was taken to the hospital for medical care and is in stable condition.

Police combed through hours of camera surveillance footage and interviewed witnesses to help find the mother.

An investigation revealed Perez gave birth to the baby girl by herself earlier that day at around 3:30 p.m. before allegedly abandoning the baby.

Perez was arrested and taken to the hospital for evaluation.

She was arraigned and released.

In New York State, a parent can legally abandoned a baby up to 30 days after birth if it is done in a safe manner.

According to Yonkers Police Comissioner Christopher Sapienza, between police and fire stations, there are at least 18 places to safely abandon a baby in Yonkers. That does not even include hospitals and other safe havens.

He added, "We hope this incident sheds light on the proper procedures to follow to avoid what could have been a horrible tragedy."

Child Protective Services will be involved to determine what the baby's future may look like.

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano made a statement calling the situation heartbreaking and regardless of situation, don't be afraid to reach out for help.