A North Carolina woman was arrested last week in connection with a 1987 cold case of a newborn baby who was found dead in a dumpster in California, the New York Post reported.
Melissa Jean Allen Avila, now 55, was taken into custody on Friday and booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility, according to the Riverside Police Department. Avila was located living in Shelby, North Carolina, and was extradited to California, the report states.
Avila is accused of leaving her deceased baby girl in a dumpster roughly 37 years ago in October when she was 19 years old. She allegedly left the baby in a dumpster behind a business on the 5400 block of La Sierra Ave in Riverside, California.
Police said a man discovered the baby while searching the dumpster for recyclables.
The Riverside County Coroner’s Office ruled the baby’s death a homicide. The police department’s homicide detectives exhausted all leads at the time, and the case went cold.
The case was reopened in 2020, and detectives identified Avila as the newborn’s mother using DNA samples. Detectives said they do not believe the child’s father played any role in the baby’s murder, according to the report.
“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. “We will remain dedicated to seeking justice for homicide victims and ensuring their families find closure.”
Avila’s bail has been set at $1.1 million, according to police. Her arraignment is set for September 9.