Homicide detectives are investigating the death of an infant whose body was discovered in the South El Monte area Friday morning.
The incident was reported around 8 a.m. in the 1200 block of Lerma Road, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
A man fulfilling community service hours was taking out trash when he made the gruesome discovery on the grass in the sprawling Whittier Narrows Recreation Area.
When deputies arrived, they located an unresponsive male infant who still had his umbilical cord attached. He was lying face down in a grassy area next to a trash can.
“The infant appeared to be in the third trimester of the gestational period and fully developed,” authorities said.
Investigators believed the baby had been abandoned for about three hours before he was discovered. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators said there were no scratches or cuts on the baby’s body.
There is no information about the baby’s mother. There are no witnesses or surveillance cameras in the park. The cause of death will be determined by the L.A. County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office.
Aerial video from Sky5 showed a trash can covered with an umbrella as authorities searched the area for evidence.
Detectives remained at the scene hours later and were also checking hospitals to see if they could track down the infant’s mother, who could be in medical distress.
Investigators said it’s possible she gave birth at the park.
Anyone with information was asked to call LASD’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be submitted to “Crime Stoppers” at 800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
