A mother in California found herself behind bars after she allegedly abandoned her baby just hours after his birth and left him in an outdoor dumpster in the rain.
Authorities announced that Astrid Nohemi Lopez Ramos was arrested on September 17 and has been charged with one count of child endangerment more than one year after the incident occurred.
The Riverside Police Department said in a news release that the investigation into the matter began around 2:30 p.m. on May 4, 2025, when multiple reports were made to the Public Safety Communications Center regarding a crying baby in a dumpster enclosure at an apartment complex.
“Responding officers discovered a newborn infant who had been found moments earlier by a resident,” the news release stated. “The baby was lying next to a dumpster, breathing and crying, with the umbilical cord still attached. The infant had been left uncovered and exposed to the rain.”
Emergency medical personnel then reported to the scene and took the newborn to a nearby hospital for treatment. The boy’s current condition is unknown.
Upon inspection of the baby, investigators came to believe that he was delivered “only a few hours” before he was found.
As the investigation continued, detectives that specialize in child abuse managed to identify Ramos, 26, as the child’s mother.
Ramos was eventually arrested and was booked into the Robert Presley Detention. Her bond was set at $35,000, and online jail records indicate that she was no longer in custody as of Tuesday, September 29.
She is next scheduled to appear in court at the Riverside Hall of Justice on January 12, 2027.
It is not currently clear if Ramos has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following her arrest.
Police have asked that anyone with information regarding the case contact Detective Jessica Iniguez at (951) 353-7121 and JIniguez@RiversideCA.gov or Detective Jarid Zuetel at (951) 826-8714 and JZuetel@RiversideCA.gov.
The department concluded the news release by reminding the “community that California’s Safely Surrendered Baby Law was created to prevent newborn deaths resulting from unsafe abandonment.”
“Made permanent in 2006, this law allows a parent or legal guardian to safely surrender a baby within 72 hours of birth — no questions asked — to ensure the infant’s safety and well-being,” the department wrote. “In Riverside County, newborns may be safely surrendered at nearly all fire stations and hospitals.”
Those who wish to find the nearest Safe Surrender site can call 1-877-BABYSAF (1-877-222-9723) or visit www.211la.org/safely-surrender-baby for more information.
