Woman Who Allegedly Abandoned Newborn Baby Boy Arrested
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Authorities have arrested a woman they believe abandoned her newborn baby on a South LA street last Monday evening.
The newborn was found in a stroller near a church in Exposition Park.
The mother has been identified as 20-year-old Belen Ramirez of Long Beach. She was arrested by LAPD Southwest detectives at 12:30 a.m. Saturday.
Around 10:30 p.m. on Monday, a man said he saw a dirty stroller near St. Agnes Church at Vermont Avenue and Dana Street.
According to the LAPD, the same man spotted the stroller around 1 p.m. on Tuesday and went over to investigate. He found a male infant, who had his umbilical cord still attached, swaddled in a blanket inside of the stroller.
Authorities believe the baby was left in the location overnight.
"I pulled the blanket down and the first thing I saw was the baby's head," said Alex Diaz. "I checked him to see if he had a pulse because he wasn't moving at all. As soon as I touched him, he started moving and crying."
The baby was taken to the hospital in good condition.
Ramirez has been charged with child endangerment. Her bail was set at $100,000.
According to L.A. County's Safe Surrender law, a parent or guardian may surrender an infant no more than 3-days-old with no questions asked as long as the baby shows no sign of abuse.