CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Police need help finding the man who abandoned a newborn baby in the women’s restroom of a McDonald’s restaurant in southwest Charlotte early Wednesday.

Police said witnesses saw the man take an infant carrier covered in blankets into the restroom of the restaurant on Rivergate Parkway and then run out the door shortly after 9 a.m. An employee went into the women’s restroom and found the baby about three minutes later.

Workers called 911.

“I'm at McDonald's at Rivergate, and we found a newborn in the ladies’ room. I think it's just freshly out. It still has the umbilical cord, it's naked and I was wondering if they could send an ambulance for or somebody to pick the baby up because it's cold," a 911 caller said.

Officer Robert Fey said paramedics estimate the baby boy was just two to three hours old.

The infant was rushed to Carolinas Medical Center, but police said he appears to be fine. The newborn is being kept under observation and the Department of Social Services has been notified. MEDIC officials said such abandonment situations are very rare in Mecklenburg County.

Officers are now looking for the man spotted at the McDonald’s and the newborn’s mother. North Carolina does have a Safe Surrender law, which states that a parent can place a baby up to seven days old in the care of a responsible adult and walk away. Police said the parents of this infant could face charges.

Eyewitness News went to the shopping center where the McDonald's is located and showed shoppers the surveillance pictures, but no one recognized the man.

Instead, they expressed their mixed emotions about the case.

"There's other avenues they could've used, rather than just dropping it at a McDonald's," said Leeanne Osborne, a parent. "I don't see why someone would leave a baby in a bathroom at public restaurant," said Matthew Misewicz.

The baby could have been given to emergency workers at a fire station just one mile away.

“If someone comes with an infant like that, we’re going to take care of the infant no questions asked,” said Charlotte Fire Department Capt. Rob Brisley.

Officers took the still images of the man from the McDonald’s security tapes. They do not plan to release the actual footage at this time.

Police are asking that anyone with information that could help in the investigation call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.