A woman has been arrested in connection with a nearly 37-year-old cold case involving the death of a newborn baby found in a California dumpster. Melissa Jean Allen Avila, now 55, was taken into custody on a murder charge and booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility on $1.1 million bail by the Riverside Police Department.
The incident dates back to October 1987 when Avila, then 19 years old, allegedly left her deceased baby girl in a dumpster behind a business on the 5400 block of La Sierra Ave. in Riverside, California. The discovery was made by a man rummaging for recyclables.
The death of the newborn child was determined to be a homicide by the Riverside County Coroner’s Office. Despite exhaustive efforts by the police department's homicide detectives at the time, no suspect was identified.
In 2020, the case was reopened, and Avila was identified as the baby's mother through DNA samples. Detectives have confirmed that there is no indication of the baby's father having any criminal responsibility in the child's murder.
Avila was located in Shelby, North Carolina, and subsequently taken into custody before being extradited to California. Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez expressed gratitude for the investigators' persistent efforts, stating that the victim now has an identity, bringing resolution to the case. He emphasized the department's commitment to seeking justice for homicide victims and ensuring closure for their families.
Avila's arraignment is scheduled for September 9, where further legal proceedings will take place in relation to the case.
