Alexis Avila shocked the nation when she tossed her newborn baby into a dumpster in Hobbs, New Mexico.
This tragic event was captured on surveillance footage and spread across the media.
This case raised many questions about mental health, teenage pregnancy, and the limits of legal protection for newborns.
19-year-old Alexis Avila, was born and raised in New Mexico.
Alexis was a high school student struggling with several personal issues, including mental health problems.
Those close to her, including her mother and mental health professionals, later confirmed that Alexis had long suffered from bipolar disorder.
They beleive this medical condition may have played a significant role in her actions.
Alexis' family and friends said that she was often emotionally distant and disconnected.
According to her defense team, she had no idea that she was pregnant until the day before she gave birth.
Whether or not Alexis truly understood her pregnancy is still a matter of debate.
Some classmates said that she had openly spoken about her pregnancy months before the incident, raising doubts about her claims of ignorance.
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| Alexis Avila |
The Day Everything Changed
On January 7, 2022, Alexis gave birth to her son at her parents' home, alone in the bathroom.
Overwhelmed and in a state of panic, Alexis cut the umbilical cord herself.
She then wrapped her newborn in a dirty towel and placed him inside a trash bag.
After driving around aimlessly for hours, unsure of what to do, she eventually stopped behind a shopping center.
She then casually threw the bag containing her newborn into a dumpster.
A surveillance camera from the store captured this heart-wrenching moment.
It showed Alexis driving up to the dumpster, getting out of her car, and throwing the black trash bag into the bin before driving away.
It was a cold winter day in Hobbs, with temperatures dropping to around 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
For six long hours, the baby lay inside the dumpster, exposed to the freezing cold and potentially facing death.
Fortunately, fate had other plans for the newborn.
Three people, Michael Green, Hector Jesso, and April Meadow, were scavenging through the dumpster when they heard what they thought was the cry of an animal.
Upon investigating further, they found a black trash bag containing the baby.
The baby was wrapped in a damp towel, with the umbilical cord still attached.
He was weak but still alive.
The trio quickly called 911 and tried to keep the baby warm while waiting for emergency services.
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| Alexis Avila at the dumpster |
Piecing It Together: The Investigation
The discovery of the newborn triggered an investigation, leading authorities to track down Alexis Avila.
Hobbs Police used surveillance footage from a nearby store to identify the white car linked to the scene.
Officers were able to trace the vehicle’s partial license plate back to Alexis family’s home.
When officers confronted Alexis’ parents, they confirmed that their daughter had driven the car seen in the footage.
Alexis was immeiately brought in for questioning.
During the interrogation, she confessed to giving birth and abandoning her baby.
She explained that she had only found out about her pregnancy the day before and had panicked when the baby was born.
Her defense team later argued that Alexis' mental state was severely compromised.
The cited her bipolar disorder as a factor that contributed to her erratic and dangerous behavior.
Despite her confession, Alexis claimed that she had not intended to harm her child.
However, she remained silent when asked what she thought would happen to the baby after leaving him in the dumpster.
This inability to provide a clear answer only added to the public outrage and confusion surrounding the case.
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| Alexis Avila in court |
Legal Consequences: The Pursuit of Justice
Alexis Avila was arrested and initially charged with attempted murder and felony child abuse.
In May 2023, after a long trial, Alexis was convicted of child abuse resulting in great bodily harm.
The prosecution argued that Alexis' actions were deliberate and put the life of her child at great risk.
However, her defense team emphasized her mental health issues.
They argued that Alexis had not intended to kill her baby and that her actions stemmed from her undiagnosed bipolar disorder.
The judge sentenced Alexis to 18 years in prison, but with two years suspended due to her age and mental health history.
This means she will serve 16 years behind bars and could be released in her early 30s.
Miraculously, her baby boy survived and recovered fully.
He was later placed in the custody of the New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department (CYFD).
The baby was later named Saul, but his future remained uncertain as his paternal family pursued custody.
Alexis Avila's sentence sparked a national conversation about the role of mental health in criminal cases.
The discussion focused on young mothers facing the pressures of unexpected pregnancy.
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| Alexis Avila mugshot |
While Alexis serves her sentence, the fate of her son remains a topic of discussion.
The baby’s paternal grandfather, Oscar Astorga, has expressed a desire to gain custody of his grandson.
Oscar’s son, Stephen, was identified as the baby’s father, though the young couple had broken up months before the birth.
As of now, Saul remains in the care of the CYFD, and the court will decide whether his biological family will ultimately be able to raise him.
This tragic case also renewed focus on New Mexico’s Safe Haven law, which allows parents to surrender newborns safely without facing criminal charges.
In response to Alexis’ actions, state lawmakers expanded the law, ensuring that more parents are aware of their options and have safe places to leave their babies.
The hope is that cases like this can be prevented in the future, sparing innocent lives and helping struggling parents seek help before it’s too late.
In a similar case, a woman who abandoned her newborn in a dumpster 30 years ago has been arrested and charged with murder.
This was after DNA evidence confirmed she was the mother who dumped the baby there in 1994.
Click here for full details of that case.
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