The remains of a newborn baby were discovered late Thursday in an open field in Riverside, after a homeless woman told authorities she had buried her baby in the area, police reported.
Investigators searched a field along the 5800 block of Central Avenue, directly behind the Riverside Municipal Airport, on Thursday and located the remains of a small baby around 11 p.m., the Riverside Police Department said in a news release.
The 22-year-old homeless woman, who recently delivered a baby at a hospital in Riverside, was interviewed by Riverside Child Protective Services after bringing the baby in for treatment, according to police.
During the course of the interview with CPS, the woman told the agency she gave birth to a premature baby about one year ago in a homeless encampment near the Santa Ana river bottom and said the baby died at birth or shortly after, police said.
The woman and the baby’s father buried the baby in the field soon after, authorities reported.
Riverside police were notified about the case on Wednesday and began investigating.
The woman was discharged from the hospital before officers arrived to interview her, but she was located on Thursday and was cooperative with police and told investigators where she had buried her baby.
The cause and approximate date of the baby’s death were pending the investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner.
CPS took custody of the mother’s newborn baby at the hospital.
No arrests have been made, police said.
The investigation was ongoing.
Anyone with information about this case was asked to call Det. Paul Miranda at 951-353-7945 or Det. Karla Beler at 951-353-7125.