Police say a newborn baby was found alive in a New Mexico dumpster on Friday, hours after the child’s 18-year-old mother allegedly tossed the baby into the receptacle.
The Hobbs Police Department stated Alexis Avila, 18, “confessed to giving birth to the child at another location and then placing the baby in the dumpster.” She has been charged with attempted murder and child abuse, per the police department.
Warning: Disturbing Footage Below:
Disturbing surveillance footage of the alleged murder attempt shows a suspect exiting a white sedan before grabbing a bag from the back seat and tossing it into the dumpster. The suspect then enters the vehicle and drives away. KOB reports the footage was captured at 2:00 p.m.
Six hours later, three individuals are seen going through the dumpster, KOB reported. One person pulls the bag out of the dumpster. Another person then moves rapidly to open the bag and begins to care for the baby before bringing it into a truck, according to KOB. Moments later, police arrived at the scene in the 1400 block of N. Thorp.
Officers, who received word of the incident around 8:00 p.m., provided aid to the newborn once on scene, and paramedics subsequently transported the infant to a Lubbock hospital for pediatric care, according to the Hobbs Police Department.
The newborn is in stable condition, according to the Hobbs Police Department.
Authorities say they used surveillance footage of the incident to locate the suspected vehicle involved, which led them to Avila, who confessed to the act during an interview.
Joe Imbriale, who owns Rig Outfitters and Home Store, says police called him on Friday night and asked to see surveillance footage, KOB reported.
He says he met with officers to review the footage, though it is unclear when viewing took place.
“Something wasn’t right, I saw the officers’ faces, and they did not look right. They really didn’t,” he told the outlet.
“I said ‘what is it we are looking for’ and she goes ‘we’re looking for somebody who dumped a black garbage bag in your dumpster.’ I turned around, I said ‘please don’t tell me it was a baby,'” Imbraile said.
Imbriale said the footage caused him distress.
“I can’t sleep at night just knowing that this baby was just tossed in a dumpster like that,” he explained. “I’m sorry but who does that? That is evil. I don’t have words for it.”
Imbriale “says he plans to start a Go Fund Me account in support of the newborn child,” KOAT reported.
“I want this baby to know it is loved,” he told the outlet. “That just because your mom did that does not mean you are not loved. People care about you. People care about what you feel and think.”
Avila’s arraignment was scheduled for Monday in Lea County District Court.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.