Baby found in capistrano dumpster
by jonathan volzke
august 31, 2004-- authorities on tuesday were searching for a woman who gave birth to a boy, stuffed the newborn in a trash bag and then buried it in a dumpster off del obispo street.
A woman who thought she heard a cat found the crying boy about 10:30 a.M. His umbilical cord still attached when he was found, the baby was taken to mission hospital.
A plastic bag was knotted around the baby’s neck, spurring authorities to launch an attempted-homicide investigation. In addition to being callous, the crime is especially irrational, orange county sheriff’s department spokesman jim amormino said, because the law allows newborns to be dropped off at any church, police station, fire station or hospital with no questions asked.
“it’s just senseless, senseless, senseless,” amormino said, surrounded by reporters who descended on the crime scene in the 32000 block of paseo carolina.
The baby, authorities believe, was just hours old when evitalia garcia found it in a trash bin behind a building. The bin was not enclosed.
Investigators called in a sheriff’s bloodhound in hopes of finding the mother. The dog started at the blue dumpster, then led authorities down del obispo street, through capistrano valley christian schools, then back through the homes in the carolinas neighborhood.
Although the dog did not turn up concrete evidence, amormino said investigators had some evidence to go on.
Garcia, meanwhile, said she felt god guided her to find the child.
“i feel victorious because I saved a life,” garcia, 71, said in spanish. “god gave me the license to see (the baby) and take him out of the trash.”
garcia, who is visiting family here from mexico, has 18 children.
“i asked god to let that baby live … to give that baby to someone who really wants a baby.”
she wouldn’t have to look far. Her daughter, susana lopez, said she wants it.
“with all of my heart, I would take that child,” lopez said, tears flowing down her face. “if we don’t love our children, who should we love?”