A newborn baby with the umbilical cord still attached was left in the Christmas nativity manger at a New York City church.

Police say a custodian at a Queens church found the child after returning from lunch on Monday afternoon.

Investigators say the baby was wrapped in towels and laying in the manger at the Holy Child of Jesus Church in Richmond Hill.

Police say the baby is in good health at a local hospital. Police have not released the gender, and are searching for the person who left the child at the church.

State law says a newborn can be dropped off at a church, hospital, police or fire station.

But it requires the child to be left with someone or for the authorities to be called immediately.

Police said that did not happen in this case, which has led investigators to begin searching for the person who dropped the child at the church.

Officers were canvassing the area around the church, looking for surveillance cameras that may might recorded something police can use. Authorities said they were also questioning witnesses to try to track down the baby's mother.

Church pastor Christopher Heanue wrote on the church's Facebook page that the baby was a boy and weighed a little more than 5lb.

He wrote: "Let us pray for this child, for his parents and for whomever will receive him into their home."