Meet NJ's First Babies Of 2025, Including The First, Born At Stroke Of Midnight

As fireworks lit up the sky to ring in the new year, Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center had its own reason to celebrate—a tiny, precious one.

Julissa and Manfer Lopez of Neptune City, welcomed Cataleya Lopez at the stroke of midnight at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center at the stroke of midnight.
Photo Credit: *Hackensack Meridian Health*

Baby Isabella, who weighed 7 pounds and 12.6 ounces, was born at 4:55 AM at Hackensack Meridian Raritan Bay Medical Center, to mom Yeraldin Mercedes Castillo de Mendez of Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
Photo Credit: *Hackensack Meridian Health*

Supal and Hinal Patel of Parlin, New Jersey, welcomed Baby Boy Patel
Photo Credit: *Hackensack Meridian Health*

Baby Eleanor and her parents Alyssa Roy and dad Andy Steen of Jersey City. They did not know the gender, and the gender was a total surprise.
Photo Credit: *Englewood Health*

Samira Chamoun and Baby Julian at Holy Name.
Photo Credit: *Holy Name*

Newark Beth Israel Medical Center welcomed the 2025 New Year's Baby Emmy Thalia at 7:46 a.m. on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2025.
Photo Credit: *RWJ Barnabas Health*

Manchester's Esther Malka Gross welcomed her third daughter.
Photo Credit: *RWJ Barnabas Health*

Baby boy Aidan Aziel Lopez Iboy was born at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset at 4:18 a.m.
Photo Credit: *RWJ Barnabas Health*

Baby Clementine
Photo Credit: *RWJ Barnabas Health*

Cecilia Levine

01/01/2025 8:32 a.m.

The first baby of 2025, Cataleya Lopez, made her grand entrance at the stroke of midnight, kicking off the new year with joy and hope.

Born to proud parents Julissa and Manfer Lopez of Neptune City, Cataleya weighed 6 pounds and 12 ounces. She is the fourth child in the Lopez family to be welcomed into the world at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

Cataleya wasn’t the only bundle of joy to arrive on New Year’s Day in the Hackensack Meridian Health network. The celebrations continued across several hospitals:

At 12:37 a.m., Clementine Frances Muglia arrived at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center to parents Grace Ann Caramico and Alfonse Muglia of Bloomfield. She weighed exactly 7 pounds and measured 19 inches long.
At 1:56 a.m., Baby Boy Patel was born at Hackensack Meridian JFK University Medical Center to parents Supal and Hinal Patel of Parlin, NJ. He weighed 7 pounds and 0.8 ounces.
At 2:03 a.m., Manchester resident Esther Malka Gross welcomed her third daughter at Monmouth Medical Center. She weighed 8 pounds and 14 ounces and joins her five- and two-year-old sisters at home.
At 4:18 a.m., Aidan Aziel Lopez Iboy was born at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset to mom Heidy Iboy Mendoza and dad Adrian Lopez from Plainfield.
At 4:55 a.m., Baby Isabella, weighing 7 pounds and 12.6 ounces, arrived at Hackensack Meridian Raritan Bay Medical Center. Her proud mom, Yeraldin Mercedes Castillo de Mendez, hails from Perth Amboy, NJ.
At 5:23 a.m., a baby girl was born at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center, bringing even more joy to the new year.
At 7:46 a.m., Newark Beth Israel Medical Center welcomed Emmy Thalia with a weight of 7 pounds and 4 oz. She measured 19 1/4 inches long. Proud parents Nelly and Kleber, from Irvington, are so happy as they were hoping for a long time to be the best parents they can be. Mom says that although Emmy arrived more than two weeks early, it was God’s plan, and they welcome her with love.
At 7:51 a.m., the first baby of the year for Englewood Hospital in Bergen County arrived. The family is choosing to remain anonymous.
At 9:50 a.m. at Englewood Hospital, Eleanora Elizabeth Steen arrived weighing 6lbs and 1oz, and measuring 17 inches. First time parents are mom Alyssa Roy and dad Andy Steen of Jersey City. They did not know the gender, and the gender was a total surprise.
At 11:27 a.m., Julian Chamoun was born at Holy Name in Teaneck, weighing seven pounds even and 53 centimeters. He is the second child to parents Samira and Camille Chamoun of Edgewater.

As Cataleya and her fellow New Year’s babies begin their journeys, their arrivals symbolize fresh beginnings and the promise of the year ahead. For their families, Hackensack Meridian Health hospitals provided the care and compassion to make their first moments of 2025 truly magical.

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