CA CA- 5400 block of La Sierra Avenue, Riverside, Baby Jane Doe, found in plastic bag im dumpster, Oct '87, - Melissa Jean Allen Avila, 55, arrest '24

[dotr]

After 37 years, Riverside Baby Jane Doe (1987) is Identified

Riverside Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify a 1987 Baby Jane Doe

dnasolves.com

'In October 1987, the body of a newborn baby was found in a plastic bag inside of a Riverside, California garbage dumpster. The dumpster was situated behind a business in the 5400 block of La Sierra Avenue in Riverside, which is located approximately 50 miles east of Los Angeles in California's Inland Empire area. A man rummaging for recyclables found the baby girl, whose death was ruled a homicide by the Riverside County Coroner’s Office. At the time, Riverside Police Homicide Detectives worked diligently to solve the case, but all leads were exhausted, and a suspect was not identified'.

'' Othram assisted with investigators' reference testing efforts using KinSNP® Rapid Familial Relationship Testing, which allows investigators to infer kinship in closely and distantly related individuals. These efforts led to the identification and arrest of the infant's mother, 55-year-old Melissa Jean Allen Avila. Avila was 19-years-old at the time of the baby’s death. Detectives do not believe the infant’s father had any criminal culpability in the murder.''

 

[dotr]

/

 

[sasha17]

The biological mother of Baby Doe 1987 that was just identified by Othram is a 55 year old from North Carolina, named Melissa Jean Allen Avila.

 

[dotr]

This 2023 article is about a different case where a baby was found in 2022. The biological mother of Baby Doe 1987 that was just identified by Othram is named Melissa Jean Allen Avila.

Thank you!, erased my post

 

[sasha17]

Thank you!, erased my post

Thanks, edited mine too.

I hope Melissa Jean Allen Avila remains in prison for the remainder of her life. That poor, innocent baby.

 

[musicaljoke]

I hate that the fathers are always let off the hook in these cases. How many baby deaths are a result of the male parent leaving the mother to carry the load alone.

 

[otto]

After 37 years, Riverside Baby Jane Doe (1987) is Identified

Riverside Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify a 1987 Baby Jane Doe

dnasolves.com

'In October 1987, the body of a newborn baby was found in a plastic bag inside of a Riverside, California garbage dumpster. The dumpster was situated behind a business in the 5400 block of La Sierra Avenue in Riverside, which is located approximately 50 miles east of Los Angeles in California's Inland Empire area. A man rummaging for recyclables found the baby girl, whose death was ruled a homicide by the Riverside County Coroner’s Office. At the time, Riverside Police Homicide Detectives worked diligently to solve the case, but all leads were exhausted, and a suspect was not identified'.

'' Othram assisted with investigators' reference testing efforts using KinSNP® Rapid Familial Relationship Testing, which allows investigators to infer kinship in closely and distantly related individuals. These efforts led to the identification and arrest of the infant's mother, 55-year-old Melissa Jean Allen Avila. Avila was 19-years-old at the time of the baby’s death. Detectives do not believe the infant’s father had any criminal culpability in the murder.''

BBM: "Detectives do not believe the infant’s father had any criminal culpability in the murder."

A 19 year old mother who could not cope with the birth of a baby made a bad decision. The father of the baby, who could not cope with a baby, has no criminal culpability. But - what was his decision: to abandon the mother, or to raise the child? How is culpability decided?

It sounds like the assumption is that the father is not culpable because he was not present during the birth. Did he make a choice to be an absent father? Is he culpable?

She was 19 years old when the baby was born in 1987. She was born in 1968. The Feminist Revolution was in full swing with rights to govern childbirth. There was no where to leave an unwanted child. There are better social services today.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Did he make a choice to be an absent father? Is he culpable?
She was 19 years old when the baby was born in 1987. She was born in 1968. The Feminist Revolution was in full swing with rights to govern childbirth. There was no where to leave an unwanted child. There are better social services today.

Quote RSBM.

People have been leaving babies on doorsteps or inside churchs or near hospitals for generations. Tied up in a dumpster is never okay.
I agree the father is morally culpable, if he was aware of the pregnancy. He should be ashamed of his non-involvement. But they will say, He didn't break the law...

 

[musicaljoke]

Quote RSBM.

People have been leaving babies on doorsteps or inside churchs or near hospitals for generations. Tied up in a dumpster is never okay.
I agree the father is morally culpable, if he was aware of the pregnancy. He should be ashamed of his non-involvement. But they will say, He didn't break the law...

Imo, even if he wasn't aware of the pregnancy, he is still culpable. He is the male sperm donor and as such, has the responsibility to see that any live birth that results from his action is in a safe place to be born. Men have to be equally responsible. Why do we continue to allow them to walk away from a potential pregnancy? We don't even know if the mother was mentally stable. How does he take advantage of that for his own sexual satisfaction and then throw up his hands with a "gee, I didn't know".

 

[Queena]

Imo, even if he wasn't aware of the pregnancy, he is still culpable. He is the male sperm donor and as such, has the responsibility to see that any live birth that results from his action is in a safe place to be born. Men have to be equally responsible. Why do we continue to allow them to walk away from a potential pregnancy? We don't even know if the mother was mentally stable. How does he take advantage of that for his own sexual satisfaction and then throw up his hands with a "gee, I didn't know".

What if he never knew about the pregnancy?

 

[musicaljoke]

What if he never knew about the pregnancy?

He knew it was a possibility. Lack of knowledge is no excuse.

 

[Queena]

He knew it was a possibility. Lack of knowledge is no excuse.

It could have been a one night stand, with no exchange of information.

 

[ifindedout]

Avila arrest details

Mother arrested for allegedly dumping her newborn's remains 37 years ago in Riverside

Cold case detectives arrested a 55-year-old woman for allegedly throwing her newborn's body into a Riverside dumpster nearly four decades ago.

abc7.com

The Riverside Police Department booked Melissa Jean Allen Avila into jail for murder after North Carolina law enforcement extradited her to Southern California. She remains in custody at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in lieu of a $1.1 million bail.

edited non-quoted text

 

[musicaljoke]

It could have been a one night stand, with no exchange of information.

Still no excuse. We are not living in the 16th century anymore.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

If mom knows who the father is...
I wonder if facts can come to light regarding his knowledge...
and therefore culpability...
I can dream, can't I?.... <<sigh>>