Mother Charged for Newborn Dumping After 37 Years
- A 55-year-old woman was arrested by cold case detectives for allegedly discarding her newborn’s body in a Riverside dumpster nearly four decades ago.
- The case, which had remained unsolved for years, has now been reopened due to new investigative efforts.
- Authorities stress the significance of resolving such cold cases to provide closure for affected families and communities.
Riverside detectives have arrested 55-year-old Melissa Jean Allen Avila for allegedly murdering her newborn daughter and disposing of the body in a dumpster nearly 40 years ago. Avila was extradited from North Carolina and is currently held at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility on a $1.1 million bail. The baby girl's remains were discovered on October 13, 1987, by a man searching for recyclables in a dumpster behind a business on La Sierra Avenue. The case went cold for decades due to a lack of leads and suspects, leaving the baby's homicide unsolved. However, in 2020, the Riverside Police Department's newly established Homicide Cold Case Unit reopened the investigation, utilizing DNA samples collected from the crime scene. Collaborating with the Riverside County Regional Cold Case Team and the nonprofit Season of Justice, detectives identified Avila as the mother of the deceased infant, who would have been 19 years old at the time of the incident. Season of Justice plays a crucial role in solving cold cases by providing funding for DNA analysis and forensic genealogy. Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts that led to the identification of the victim, emphasizing the department's commitment to seeking justice for homicide victims and providing closure for their families. In light of this case, the Riverside Police Department reminds the public of California's Safe Surrender Law, which allows parents to confidentially surrender newborns at designated locations without fear of prosecution, ensuring the safety of infants.