Relatives said details in early news reports raised fears that the baby found in a neighborhood trash bin was their 4-month-old Luna.
LOS ANGELES — Hours after an infant was found unresponsive in a South Los Angeles trash bin, relatives watching news coverage began to fear the child was 4-month-old Luna, setting off a series of questions about her whereabouts as police investigated the death.
The family’s concern became part of a rapidly developing investigation that ended Tuesday with the arrest of Luna’s biological mother, 19-year-old Takiyah Babers, on suspicion of murder. Los Angeles police said Babers was taken into custody without incident and was being held on $2 million bail. Authorities had not released a final cause of death or announced what formal charges, if any, prosecutors would file.
The case began about 10:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28, when Newton Division officers responded to the 5200 block of Alba Street after receiving a report that a female infant had been found in a trash container. Officers found the baby unresponsive. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics transported her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
A neighborhood resident who discovered the child told local reporters that she had gone to dispose of trash when she noticed a bag and saw what she initially believed was a doll. After realizing it was an infant, she sought help and 911 was called. The LAPD’s Juvenile Division-Abused Child Section took over the investigation.
As television reports spread early Tuesday, relatives of Babers said details about the infant caused them to worry about Luna. Herman Johnson and Laura Lacy, who had helped care for the baby, told reporters they began trying to determine where she was. FOX 11 reported that family members said Babers gave differing accounts about the baby’s location, increasing their concern.
Relatives also told FOX 11 that a distinctive physical characteristic described in early reporting appeared to match Luna. Johnson said the family shared photographs with police and reporters as they sought to determine whether the infant found in the trash bin was their granddaughter. Police later identified the victim as a 4-month-old infant and said Babers was the child’s biological mother. Family members have publicly identified the infant as Luna.
Authorities have not publicly released a complete chronology of the child’s final hours. Police also have not disclosed a suspected motive or a final medical explanation for her death. The latest reports said the Los Angeles County medical examiner had not completed a publicly released final determination of the cause and manner of death.
By Tuesday, investigators had focused on Babers. Police said detectives identified her as the suspect during their investigation and arrested her without incident. She was booked on suspicion of murder. The department said its case would be submitted to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, which is responsible for deciding whether criminal charges should be filed.
The investigation unfolded as relatives and neighbors began mourning the infant. Community members gathered Tuesday night near the location where she was found, placing candles, flowers and balloons at a makeshift memorial. Lacy and Johnson spoke publicly about their grief and the bond they had formed while helping care for Luna.
Several questions remained unanswered Wednesday, including the infant’s precise cause of death, the circumstances before she was found and what evidence prosecutors will ultimately rely on if charges are filed. Babers remained a suspect and had not been convicted. Published reports said no initial court date had been announced as of early Wednesday.
Detectives with the LAPD’s Abused Child Unit continued investigating the case while preparing their findings for the District Attorney’s Office. Police said the investigation remained ongoing.
Author note: Last updated September 30, 2026.