DNA leads to arrest in baby abandonment
PHOENIX — A 24-yearold Mesa woman who was arrested after being located through DNA evidence and an unrelated arrest warrant is accused of abandoning a newborn girl last year.
Maricela Rocio Perez acknowledged giving birth in March 2016 and placing the hours-old baby in front of a home after deciding against taking the infant to a fire station designated as no-questions-asked haven for newborns, Mesa police said.
Perez was arrested last week and remained jailed Tuesday on for low blood sugar and a suspicion of dangerously low body temperature, child abuse police said. and endangerment. Detective Nik Rasheta, a police spokesman, said It was not information on the child’s immediately current situation was not known immediately available. whether she A probable cause statement has an attorney said Perez told police who could comment on she “could not explain being the allegations. pregnant to her current
Police tried unsuccessfully boyfriend as this was not in 2016 to identify the his child.” person who left the baby in “The defendant admitted the front yard of the home she knew the fire station offers of a couple who called 911 a Safe Baby Haven but after their son spotted the she was concerned about child. being asked questions
The infant, whose umbilical about the new baby and the cord was still attached, fact that the baby might was treated at a hospital have meth in her system,” the statement added.
Police said officers located Perez in Mesa after getting a DNA match from evidence in blood found in the baby’s car seat carrier.
Police said the DNA hit resulted from a criminal case in Pima County Superior Court in Tucson.
In that case, a warrant was issued for Perez on Aug. 11, the same day that authorities filed a petition to revoke her probation, according to court records.
Perez had pleaded guilty May 23 to facilitation to commit theft of means of transportation. She previously pleaded not guilty to burglary and other crimes.