LA Mother Charged with Murder in Infant's Dumpster Death

A 19-year-old Los Angeles mother has been charged with murder after her infant daughter was discovered deceased in a dumpster, authorities announced Thursday.

Takiyah Rochelle Babers faces one count of murder and one felony count of assault on a child causing death, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. She is being held on $2 million bail, and her arraignment has been postponed to October 30.

Officers responded to a call reporting a "death investigation" around 10:30 p.m. Monday in the 5200 block of Alba Street. Inside a trash bin, they found the 4-month-old infant, Luna Babers, unresponsive. Emergency medical services transported the baby to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Investigators determined the infant had been placed in the dumpster within the preceding 24 hours.

Police identified Babers as a suspect during their investigation and arrested her on Tuesday. She was taken into custody without incident.

The baby's grandparents, Laura Lacy and Herman Johnson, had reportedly dropped Luna off at an apartment where Babers was staying on Monday evening. The following morning, upon realizing Luna was missing, they returned to the neighborhood and learned of the infant's death. Lacy has alleged that Babers intentionally killed her daughter, telling ABC 7, "I think it was premeditated. She did this on purpose."

Investigators are still working to determine the exact cause of Luna Babers' death.