A 4-month-old girl was found dead inside a dumpster in South Los Angeles late Monday night, leading to the arrest of her 19-year-old mother on suspicion of murder, authorities said.
The infant was discovered around 10:30 p.m. in the area of the 5200 block of Alba Street. A neighbor who was looking through a trash bin initially believed she had spotted a doll inside a heavy black bag. She soon realized it was an infant and alerted her daughter, who called 911.
Emergency crews responded and took the baby to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The investigation took a deeply personal turn for a couple living nearby. Herman Johnson and Laura Lacy had been caring for their 4-month-old granddaughter, Luna, since shortly after her birth.
Investigators had not initially publicly identified the baby. But when details about the infant were released, the grandparents recognized one unusual physical characteristic: the child found in the dumpster had six toes on one foot.
They knew Luna had the same distinctive feature.
The family then tried to determine where the baby was. Johnson and Lacy said they had last seen Luna earlier Monday evening after returning her to her mother.
When they contacted Babers, they were given conflicting explanations about the child’s whereabouts. According to investigators, she first said the baby was sleeping and later claimed Luna had been given to her biological father.
The family became increasingly concerned and contacted police.
Investigators subsequently took Takiyah Babers into custody. She is being held on $2 million bail while detectives continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death.
Police have described the case as a homicide investigation. Investigators are also working with the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner to determine the official cause and manner of death.
Authorities have not publicly established a motive, and the forensic identification and other details of the investigation are still being finalized.
The case has left Luna’s grandparents struggling to understand what happened to a child they had helped raise from infancy.
Johnson previously described the baby as an innocent child who had been deeply loved by her family. Lacy has also questioned why the infant was taken from their care and ultimately found in a dumpster.
A community vigil was held near the location where the baby’s body was discovered, with candles, flowers and balloons placed near the dumpster.
Babers remains accused of murder, and the investigation is continuing. Detectives are expected to present their findings to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office as prosecutors consider formal charges.
