A 16-month-old girl was found dead in an apartment-style unit at The Belnord Hotel on the Upper West Side of New York City this week, according to the NYPD.
Police responded to the hotel on Wednesday around 12:50 p.m. and found the child unresponsive. There were no immediate visible signs of trauma on the baby's body, and the medical examiner's office is investigating the cause of death.
The Belnord Hotel has been used as an emergency shelter for migrant families with children since 2023. The contract with the Children’s Rescue Fund for this purpose concluded on June 30. It remains unclear whether any migrants are still residing in the hotel.
The New York Post reported that police described the unit where the child was found as an 'apartment.' Rooms at the hotel can be rented for as low as $75 per night.