Mother arrested 37 years after her newborn was found dead in dumpster: Police

A woman has been arrested for the murder of her newborn 37 years after the baby girl was found dead in a dumpster in California, authorities said.

On Oct. 13, 1987, a man rummaging for recyclables found a dead newborn in a dumpster behind a business, Riverside police said.

Authorities believe the baby was born within hours of being abandoned, police said. The baby girl’s death was ruled a homicide, police said.

Decades went by without answers.

In 2020, police said the case was reopened, and investigators joined forces with Othram labs to try to solve the case with DNA technology.

Forensic evidence was submitted to Othram in 2021 and scientists used that evidence to build a DNA profile for the unnamed baby, according to Othram.

Riverside police then turned to forensic genetic genealogy, in which unknown DNA is identified by comparing it to family members who voluntarily submit DNA samples to a database, Othram said.

The forensic genetic genealogy investigation led authorities to potential relatives of the unknown baby, Othram said.

Authorities said they identified the suspect as 55-year-old Melissa Jean Allen Avila, who was 19 at the time of the newborn's death.

A motive is not known, police said.

Avila was arrested in North Carolina and extradited to Riverside County, California, police said. She was booked for first-degree murder on Aug. 5, police said.

"Detectives have no reason to believe the baby’s father had any criminal culpability in the murder," police added.

Avila's arraignment is set for Sept. 9.

Riverside police stressed that California's Safe Arms for Newborns law -- enacted in 2001 -- allows a parent to leave a baby 3 days old or younger at a fire station or hospital emergency room.

"If the baby has not been abused or neglected, the person may surrender it without fear of arrest or prosecution for child abandonment," police said.