A shocking development has emerged in a 37-year-old cold case as a Shelby woman has been arrested in connection with the death of a newborn baby found in a trash bin in Riverside, California.
On October 13, 1987, a man searching for recyclables discovered the deceased newborn girl in a dumpster behind a business. The Riverside County Coroner’s Office ruled the death a homicide, but for decades, the case remained unsolved.
In 2020, the Riverside Police Department formed a Homicide Cold Case Unit, reopening the investigation. Utilising advanced DNA testing, detectives identified the baby’s mother as 55-year-old Melissa Jean Allen Avila, who was just 19 years old at the time of the baby’s death.
Authorities found no evidence linking the baby’s father to the case.
Shocking News: Mother Accused of Killing Newborn
With the help of the U.S. Marshals Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force, Avila was located in Shelby, North Carolina, approximately 45 miles west of Charlotte.
She was arrested and extradited to Riverside County, where she was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility on August 5, with a bond set at $1.1 million.
Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez expressed gratitude for the persistent efforts of investigators and partners, stating, “Thanks to the persistent efforts of our investigators and partners, this victim now has an identity, bringing resolution to the case.” Avila’s next court hearing is scheduled for September 9.
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Mother Accused of Killing Newborn
