Mother, 19, arrested after 4-month-old found dead in South Los Angeles dumpster
A 4-month-old girl was found dead in a dumpster on Alba Street, opposite Holmes Avenue Elementary School, on Monday night. Her 19-year-old mother was arrested Tuesday; cause of death and charges are pending.
Updated (version 2). Rewritten with the latest reporting. Previously: “Mother arrested after 4-month-old found dead in South Los Angeles dumpster”.
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The story, neutrally told
A 4-month-old girl was found dead in a dumpster in South Los Angeles at about 10:30 p.m. on Monday 28 September. New York PostR “The grisly discovery occurred around 10:30 p.m. Monday near the 5200 block of Alba Street, directly across from Holmes Avenue Elementary School.” Read at New York Post ↗ The IndependentLC “The baby was found unresponsive in a dumpster in the 5200 block of Alba Street at around 10:30 p.m. Monday.” Read at The Independent ↗ The New York Post, citing Fox LA, says a resident taking out trash noticed a heavy black bag, first took the contents for a doll, then realised it was an infant; CPR was attempted. New York PostR “initially mistook the contents for a doll, exclaiming “una muñeca,” before realizing it was an infant, according to Fox LA.” Read at New York Post ↗ The Independent says paramedics took the girl to hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The IndependentLC “Paramedics rushed the girl to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.” Read at The Independent ↗
The infant's 19-year-old mother was detained on Tuesday morning; the Independent names her as Takiyah Babers and says she was arrested on suspicion of murder. New York PostR “Investigators detained the teenage mother shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday.” Read at New York Post ↗ The IndependentLC “Takiyah Babers was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of murder” Read at The Independent ↗ The Independent says she is held on $2 million bail and that police will present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office; the Post says no formal charges had been announced. The IndependentLC “Babers was being held on $2 million bail at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR “Authorities have not yet announced pending formal charges against the mother.” Read at New York Post ↗ The outlets differ on the family's relationship to the mother: the Post calls Herman Johnson and Laura Lacy the baby's grandparents, while the Independent calls them Babers' foster parents. New York PostR “the tot’s grandparents, Herman Johnson and Laura Lacy” Read at New York Post ↗ The IndependentLC “Herman Johnson, Babers' foster father, told Fox11 that the discovery had left him devastated.” Read at The Independent ↗
The baby was named Luna; the Post says the family suspected her because the dead infant had six toes on her left foot, a trait shared by their granddaughter. New York PostR “the dead infant had six toes on her left foot, a trait shared by their granddaughter.” Read at New York Post ↗ Johnson said the mother gave inconsistent accounts of the baby's whereabouts, according to the Independent; the Post says a photo she showed was from an old video. The IndependentLC “Babers initially told him that the baby was sleeping.” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR “Lacy recognized that it was an old video based on the child’s clothing” Read at New York Post ↗ Authorities have not disclosed how the infant died or a motive; the LAPD Abused Child Unit is investigating and the medical examiner is working to determine the cause. The IndependentLC “Authorities have not disclosed how the infant died, and a possible motive has not been announced.” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR “The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office is working to formally identify the infant and determine the exact cause of death.” Read at New York Post ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Straight crime report naming the mother and focusing on the arrest, bail, next legal steps and community grief.
- Emphasis
- Arrest on suspicion of murder, bail, DA referral, neighbourhood memorial, foster parents' reactions.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the six-toe detail or the resident who found the body.
- For example
-
“Dozens of candles were lit and flowers were placed at the scene, while balloons were tied to the dumpster where the child had been found.” — The Independent
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Sensational lead on the six-toed baby and a 'chilling theory', with a detailed narrative of the discovery and how the family identified her.
- Emphasis
- The discovery scene, the six-toe identification, the mother's old-video photo.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not name the mother, report the murder arrest, bail or DA referral, or the foster relationship.
- Charged language
- “grisly discovery”“chilling theory”“tot”
- For example
-
“Baby girl with six toes is found dead in dumpster outside California school – as cops probe chilling theory” — New York Post
What every side reports
- Infant girl, 4 months old, found dead in a dumpster on the 5200 block of Alba Street around 10:30 p.m. Monday.
- The 19-year-old mother was detained Tuesday morning.
- Cause of death and motive have not been disclosed; the LAPD Abused Child Unit is investigating.
Where accounts differ
-
Relationship of Herman Johnson and Laura Lacy to the mother
- Left
- The Independent calls them Babers' foster father and foster mother.
- Right
- The New York Post calls them the baby's grandparents.
-
Legal status of the mother
- Left
- Arrested on suspicion of murder, held on $2 million bail, case going to the DA.
- Right
- Detained; no formal charges announced, and no mention of a murder arrest or bail.
Left1 article
-
Mom arrested after 4-month-old baby Luna found dead in South LA dumpster
Neutral Procedural account of the arrest, bail and prosecution steps, with family and community reaction.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Alarmist Leads with the dramatic six-toe identification and the school location, relaying Fox LA's account.
- 29 Sep 18:47 First New York PostR Baby girl with six toes is found dead in dumpster outside California school – as cops probe chilling theory
- 30 Sep 16:14 +21h 27m The IndependentLC Mom arrested after 4-month-old baby Luna found dead in South LA dumpster
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.