NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – An 11-month-old baby girl died on Sunday less than a day after she was reported missing in Schenectady, police said.
The baby girl, Halo R. Branton, was initially reported missing at around 11 p.m., according to police.
An Amber Alert was issued on Sunday morning at around 10 a.m. for Branton, who was last seen on 12th Street at Campbell Avenue.
The Schenectady Police were joined by the New York State Police, Schenectady County Sheriff’s Department, General Electric Security, and the Schenectady Fire Department in the search efforts.
Branton was found around the General Electric campus early Sunday afternoon and the Amber alert was canceled at around 12:30 p.m.
“She was rushed to a hospital,” police spokesman Lt. Ryan Macherone said.
Macherone confirmed that Branton was pronounced dead at the hospital.
“It started as a missing persons case and right now it’s being treated as a criminal case, but to quantify what the charges are would be too early at this point,” he said.
Macherone did not provide additional details on where or in what condition the baby was found. According to the Albany Times-Union, a source said the baby was discovered in a shed on the General Electric property.
The initial Amber Alert had notified residents to contact police if they saw a woman “possibly wearing black pants and black sneakers, walking in the area with a baby under a blanket,” in the area of Campbell Avenue.
Macherone didn't give any further information about the investigation saying that it was in its early stages.
Police did not disclose the names of the potential caretaker or caretakers for the child.
“An investigation is being conducted and we will provide updates as they become available,” Schenectady police said in an updated Facebook post.