A Monterey County mother has been arrested again in connection with the case surrounding a newborn found dead along a rural roadway, as investigators have released new details about the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death and the treatment of the 14-year-old girl who gave birth to her.
Ofelia Garcia Ortega, 36, was taken into custody Tuesday at the Salinas Superior Courthouse after detectives served an arrest warrant. She now faces two felony counts involving forged identification documents, along with misdemeanor charges related to child endangerment and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The case began Aug. 1, when emergency personnel and Monterey County sheriff’s deputies responded to the 100 block of Struve Road in North Monterey County after a newborn was found dead beside the road. Investigators later began referring to the infant as “Baby Angelita.”
A forensic examination found evidence of traumatic injuries. The investigation eventually led authorities to a 14-year-old girl who they say had given birth to the baby and had been sexually abused by her biological father, 38-year-old Sergio Galvez Perez.
New details emerge about the baby’s death
During a news conference Thursday, Monterey County investigators disclosed additional details about what they believe happened before and after the newborn was found.
Investigators said the teenager gave birth near an agricultural field and that the newborn was later struck by a vehicle driven by the girl. Authorities said evidence collected during the investigation helped establish a connection between the vehicle and the infant’s death.
The newly released information has also changed the picture surrounding Perez’s alleged involvement in the baby’s death. Investigators said they have not found evidence that Perez was involved in the infant’s death itself.
Perez remains accused of sexually abusing his daughter and fathering the newborn. He was arrested in Mexico earlier this month after authorities located him with the teenager. Mexican authorities rescued the girl, who remains in their care, while officials continue working on the legal process involving Perez.
DNA evidence confirmed the relationship between the teenager, Perez and the newborn, according to investigators.
Teenager is being treated as a victim of abuse
The teenager’s status has been an important part of the investigation.
Authorities initially sought a warrant accusing the girl of murder in connection with the newborn’s death. She has not been criminally charged, however, and officials have since emphasized that she is also considered a victim of alleged sexual abuse.
Investigators say Perez sexually abused his daughter and that the abuse resulted in her pregnancy. The teenager was later found with him in Mexico following an Amber Alert and a coordinated search involving Mexican authorities, the FBI and Monterey County investigators.
The girl is currently under the care of authorities in Mexico.
Allegations involving the girl’s mother
The investigation into the newborn’s death also prompted detectives to examine Ortega’s treatment of her daughter.
Prosecutors allege Ortega allowed the girl to work in agricultural fields beginning when she was 13, using falsified identification documents. Investigators also allege that Ortega allowed her daughter to drive without a license and remain out of school for an extended period.
Those allegations form the basis of the charges now pending against Ortega. She had previously been arrested in August on suspicion of child endangerment and was released after posting bail.
Following her latest arrest, her bail was increased to $150,000.
Ortega pleads not guilty
Ortega appeared in court Thursday and pleaded not guilty to the charges against her. She is scheduled to return to court Oct. 20 for a preliminary hearing.
The case involving Ortega is separate from the criminal allegations against Perez and from the ongoing investigation into the circumstances of Baby Angelita’s death.
Perez remains accused of serious offenses involving his daughter, including incest and child abuse-related charges. Authorities are continuing to coordinate across jurisdictions as the investigation moves forward.
The investigation has drawn widespread attention because of the circumstances surrounding the newborn’s death, the alleged abuse of the teenager and the actions authorities say were taken after the girl became pregnant.
For now, officials continue to investigate the infant’s death while the separate cases involving the teenager’s parents move through the courts.
