A mother has been arrested in connection with the baby found buried alive last week beneath a Southern California bike path. Porche Laronda Washington, 33, was arrested Thursday and is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood. Washington faces charges of attempted murder and child endangerment, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. The newborn was discovered beneath asphalt and debris along the LA River.
The baby girl was believed to be 24 to 36 hours old when she was found on Nov. 27. Two sisters walking on a bike path near a riverbed in Compton heard the child’s cry.
Two deputies found her wrapped in what appears to be a hospital blanket, buried in a hole under loose dirt and piece of asphalt. She was taken to a hospital in stable condition.
Authorities had previously said that whoever buried the child could face criminal charges, including attempted murder and child endangerment. However, it was not immediately clear whether charges had been filed.
According to California’s so-called “Safe Surrender” law, parents can drop off their children at any hospital or fire station within 72 hours of the child’s birth without fear of prosecution.
Source: One Page News/Fox News/Associated Press