A mom who reportedly dumped her newborn’s bones in a dumpster almost 40 years ago has been charged and arrested by a California cold case investigation team.
The Riverside County regional cold case team used DNA to identify a suspect in a decades-old case, the Riverside Police Department, which is east of Los Angeles, revealed in a news release on Thursday, August 8.
According to jail records, Melissa Jean Allen Avila, 55, was detained and accused of first-degree murder in connection with the death of her kid.
Police said that on October 13, 1987, a man going through the garbage behind a company uncovered the bones of a baby girl, and that’s when they located her body.
Although the Riverside County Coroner’s office first declared the baby’s death to be a homicide, police were never able to find any additional evidence, and finally the investigation was closed.
In the press release, the police stated, “Riverside Police Homicide Detectives worked diligently on this case, but all leads were exhausted and a suspect was not identified.”
The announcement also stated that in 2020, the police established a Homicide Cold Case Unit and revived the case. With the aid of the NGO Season of Justice, DNA evidence was eventually used to identify Avila as the child’s mother.
As per the press release, Season of Justice provides grant funds to law enforcement and families who are seeking to use DNA and genealogy to solve unsolved crimes.
When her daughter died, Avila would have been 19, and according to the police, “detectives have no reason to believe the baby’s father had any criminal culpability in the murder.” About the mode of death, no other information has been made public.
According to the police, Avila was found in Shelby, North Carolina, and the local government collaborated with the U.S. Marshals to secure her extradition to Riverside County. She was taken into custody on Monday, August 5, around 11:30 a.m., and booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, California, according to prison records.
According to the police, she is being held on $1,000,000 bail.
The Safe Arms for Newborns Act, often known as the securely relinquished infant statute, was passed by California in 2001, according to the Riverside Police Department. According to the law, parents of infants who are three days old or younger may turn them into the emergency room of any hospital or fire station without facing any legal repercussions.
The California Department of Social Services website has information about the locations of the Safely Surrender Baby sites as well as other things.
Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez stated in the press release, “This victim now has an identity, bringing resolution to the case, thanks to the persistent efforts of our investigators and partners.” “We are committed to pursuing justice for victims of homicide and making sure their families receive closure.”
Source: PEOPLE