A 19‑year‑old woman, Takiyah Babers, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of murder after Los Angeles Police Department officers questioned her near the site where a 4‑month‑old infant was found dead in a dumpster in South Los Angeles. Babers is being held on $2 million bail at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood and may soon face formal criminal charges as police prepare to present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The infant, later identified by foster parents as Luna, was discovered unresponsive in a dumpster on the 5200 block of Alba Street at about 10:30 p.m. on Monday. Paramedics rushed the girl to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Authorities have not yet released details on the cause or manner of death, and the case remains under investigation.
The discovery prompted an outpouring of grief in the neighborhood. Residents erected a makeshift memorial near the dumpster, lighting dozens of candles, placing flowers and tying balloons to the bin. Foster father Herman Johnson expressed devastation, saying the child was “the sweetest little baby in the world” and that finding her in a dumpster “just broke my heart.” He recalled questioning Babers after learning of the infant’s presence in a trash bin, and noted that Babers had initially claimed the baby was sleeping.
The foster mother, Laura Lacy, said she had no suspicion that Babers intended to discard the infant. Police have not announced whether investigators believe the baby died before being placed in the dumpster or any findings regarding the circumstances of death. Anyone with information is urged to contact the LAPD’s Abused Child Unit at 213‑486‑0530.
