New York ? Toys “R” Us Inc. agreed Saturday to award a Chinese-American infant a $25,000 prize in New Year’s baby contest, a reversal after the company came under fire for disqualifying the girl because her mother was not a legal U.S. resident.

Chinese-American advocates said they were infuriated by Toys “R” Us, which opened its first mainland China store less than a month ago, and launched an e-mail campaign on the issue.

The company responded by awarding each of the three babies in the grand prize pool of the “First Baby of the Year Sweepstakes” a $25,000 savings bond.

Toys “R” us is the parent company of Babies “R” Us, which sponsored the contest.

Yuki Lin was born at the stroke of midnight at New York Downtown Hospital, according to hospital officials.

The Wayne, N.J.-based company had said the prize would go to the first American baby born in 2007.