Mother, Daughter Arrested: Newborn Baby Fell Out Of Restaurant Trash Bag, One Suspect Has Immigration Warrant

Two women in South Carolina were arrested on July 15 in connection with a newborn baby’s death at a Mexican restaurant in Greenville. After receiving a call three days before claiming an infant was in cardiac arrest, police learned a very different story about the child’s death.

According to an official press release from the Greenville police, authorities responded to a call at La Parilla, a Mexican restaurant located at 1 Market Point Drive. When officers arrived at the restaurant, they were told by the baby’s mother, her boyfriend, grandmother, and at least two employees that the woman had given birth in the restroom.

Greensville EMS determined that the newborn had a heartbeat and transported him to the hospital. Unfortunately, the child died shortly after arriving. Detectives and Greenville County Forensic staff went to the restaurant to conduct an investigation into the death of the newborn.

On July 13, the medical examiner performed an autopsy and was unable to find any medical reason for the baby’s death. It was also noted that dirt and gravel were on the newborn’s body. This information was relayed to the coroner.

Deputy coroners went back to La Parilla to investigate further. That is when employees recalled a different story than what police were initially told. The manager of the Mexican restaurant said the mother, Estela Ruiz-Gomez, busses tables, and the baby’s grandmother, Lorenza Gomez Rodriguez, is a dishwasher.

Employees said Estela’s stomach was hurting, and on her break, she went into the restroom. At the end of Ruiz-Gomez’s break, the manager went to get the mother out of the restroom. She complained that her stomach was still hurting, so he went to get Lorenza. Later, the grandmother came out of the restroom and said Estela needed to go to the hospital.

Police said the mother, 18-year-old Estela Ruiz-Gomez, gave birth to the baby in the bathroom. https://t.co/mM7DBNmLuF

— WNEM TV5 News (@WNEMTV5news) July 19, 2017

Soon after, a female employee was emptying the trash from the restrooms. The garbage bag from the women’s restroom was heavier than usual and she was having trouble carrying it across the parking lot. So, she dragged the trash bag, which caused it to rip open, and a newborn baby landed on the pavement. According to the report, the mother’s boyfriend was present when it happened, grabbed the newborn, and carried him back into the restaurant. That is when EMS was called to La Parilla.

On July 17, Greenville detectives arrested Estela Ruiz-Gomez and Lorenza Gomez Rodriguez for child neglect. After meeting with the medical examiner, it was determined that the child’s death was a homicide. If the baby had not been placed in the trash and dropped on the pavement, the newborn would have lived.

The next day, Ruiz-Gomez was charged with homicide by child neglect. Rodriguez was charged with aiding and abetting homicide by child abuse.

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Later, it was discovered that the birth mother had an active warrant from Homeland Security. Last year, Estela Ruiz-Gomez was told to leave the country, which she apparently did not do. The immigration agency is now investigating both Ruiz-Gomez and her mother, Lorenza Gomez Rodriguez, and they could be deported.

[Featured Image by Greenville County Sheriff’s Office]