The mother of a newborn baby found dead in a California dumpster nearly 40 years ago has been arrested and charged with murder after being identified through DNA technology.
The newborn girl was found by a man rummaging for recyclable materials in a dumpster behind a business in the 5400 block of La Sierra Avenue in Riverside on Oct. 13, 1987, Riverside Police said.
The baby’s death was ruled a homicide and despite the investigation, “all leads have been exhausted and no suspect has been identified,” police said in a statement. release.
The police department’s Homicide Cold Case Unit reopened the investigation in 2020. The department was assisted by Season of Justice, a nonprofit organization that provides financial help to investigative agencies and families to solve cold cases using DNA analysis and genealogy forensic. This funding allowed DNA analysis to be conducted by Othram, a laboratory specializing in forensic genetic genealogy.
Forensic evidence was submitted to Othram’s Texas laboratory in November 2021, where scientists developed a DNA profile for the unknown child, Othman said in his own statement. Press release. This profile was sent back to the police and from there investigators analyzed possible relatives of the girl, leading to the identification of the baby’s mother: Melissa Jean Allen Avila, 55 years old.
Avila, who was 19 at the time of the child’s death, lived in Shelby, North Carolina, across the country.
She was arrested on August 5 in Shelby, North Carolina, and extradited to Riverside County.
She was taken to the Larry D. Smith Correctional Center in Riverside on a charge of first-degree murder. She made her first court appearance Wednesday and was released following an agreement for supervised release, online booking and court records.
No pleas have been filed in the case yet. NBC News has reached out to his attorney for comment.
She is due back in court on September 9.
Authorities noted there is no reason to believe the baby’s father bears any criminal culpability for the child’s death.
“Thanks to the persistent efforts of our investigators and partners, this victim now has an identity, bringing resolution to the case,” Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez said in a statement.
California has a “Guns Safe for Newborns” law that allows a parent or legal guardian to confidentially surrender a newborn three days old or younger to any hospital emergency room or fire department without fear, arrest or process, if the baby has not been abused or neglected.
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