Couple Arrested in Death of Infant
A woman believed to be the mother of a newborn girl found dead in a trash bin outside a Santa Clarita mobile home park earlier this month has been arrested, authorities said Wednesday.
Jaquelin Linaras, 22, and her boyfriend, Jose de la Cruz, 42, were booked late Tuesday on suspicion of murder after Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies searched their home in the Polynesian Mobile Home Park, officials said. They are being held without bail.
On May 2, a park resident searching for recyclables found the newborn’s body -- her umbilical cord still attached -- in a bag, Sheriff’s Lt. Dave Smith said.
Detectives released a photo of the child Monday to encourage witnesses or the parents to come forward. Santa Clarita officials had offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
Another park resident came forward with details about suspicious activity in the park, which led to the search warrant, said Gail Ortiz, public information officer for the city of Santa Clarita.
“This was the tip that led to the arrest of the woman,” Ortiz said.
The newborn girl was at least the third abandoned baby found dead in Los Angeles County this year. Authorities say such deaths are all the more tragic because they are unnecessary. Under California’s Safely Surrendered Baby program, parents or legal guardians can drop off unwanted children within 72 hours of birth to designated sites such as emergency rooms and fire stations, without fear of arrest or prosecution.
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