Mother arrested for baby’s death after allegedly leaving her in dumpster
By Chelsea Hylton, Jasmine Viel, Matthew Rodriguez
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LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating after an infant was found dead inside a dumpster in South LA on Monday night.
The LAPD said they responded to the 5000 block of Alba Street around 10:30 p.m. after a woman found the baby’s body inside the trash can.
Neighbors said the woman was looking for recyclables when she discovered the newborn. Officers said the infant was wrapped in a blanket when they arrived.
The baby was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The infant’s age has not been confirmed.
Resident Laura Lacy said the infant was her 4-month-old foster granddaughter Luna.
“The baby was alive in the trash until she took her to the hospital and she passed away,” Lacy said. “She was healthy. You had to injure her for her to die.”
Lacy said she raised the baby for four months, allowing her 19-year-old foster daughter, Takiyah Babers, the infant’s mother, to visit her. Lacy’s husband Herman Johnson said they took care of Luna because they were worried that their foster daughter was suffering from postpartum depression.
Johnson and Lacy said they dropped off the newborn at Babers’ home in the Puebla del Rio housing complex on Monday.
“She called me yesterday, told me to drop the baby off,” Johnson said. “I should have just kept her like I started to do, but that’s just a back thought. It’s a sad situation. The baby can’t protect herself. She was just an innocent little baby.”
Lacy said they rushed over to their foster daughter’s place after hearing the news. They said they couldn’t find Luna.
The foster family stood together at the beginning of LAPD’s investigation until officers placed Babers in handcuffs and led her away. LAPD said officers booked her for murder.
Lacy was distraught and in disbelief that Luna, the baby she raised for four months, had died.
“Why would you throw her away? She didn’t do anything,” Lacy said. “What did you call me to bring her home for? Why would you call me … and then do this to her? I don’t believe this. I’m still in disbelief.”
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