UPDATE Feb. 3: Adriana Hernandez, a woman accused by police of leaving her baby dead in a dumpster, is now in Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) custody.
An official gave 13 Action News the following statement on Monday:
On Jan. 24, Adriana Hernandez-Acala, an illegally present Mexican national, was arrested by the North Las Vegas Police Department, Nevada, and charged with three felony counts of child abuse or neglect and destroy/conceal evidence.
Officers with U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations took custody of Hernandez-Acala, Jan. 29, from NLVPD pursuant to an immigration detainer.
Hernandez-Acala is currently in ICE custody at the Henderson Detention Center, pending immigration proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).
Her husband, Raul Ramos, is also accused by police of leaving the baby in a dumpster.
UPDATE JAN. 30: The North Las Vegas parents accused of leaving their baby dead in a dumpster have been released from custody.
Raul Ramos and Adriana Hernandez were let go because a criminal complaint has not been filed. The state has now asked for 90 days to file that report.
The couple is accused of dumping their baby in a dumpster more than a week ago. The baby died while they were arguing and high on meth, authorities say.
UPDATE JAN. 28: Parents of the dead baby found in a dumpster last week in North Las Vegas were high on crystal meth and fighting when the child died.
The baby was found by a man who spotted a red duffel bag sitting on top of a dumpster on Carroll Street. The man looked inside the bag because he was thinking about taking it. Instead, he found the baby's body.
A resident in the earlier told police about a family that had living nearby. The resident told police that a woman had given birth in October and the baby had to stay in the hospital for about a month after birth.
The resident also said that even though the family had been evicted, she had seen them recently and the baby was not dressed properly.
The police were able to trace the family to a nearby weekly/monthly hotel. When police asked about the family at the front desk, the woman at the front desk immediately expressed concern about the couple's children.
Police were able to make contact with Adriana Hernandez and Raul Ramos. He admitted the baby was dead and said that Adriana had put the baby on a bed face down during an argument. He said the baby was coughing and crying at the time, but soon stopped. He claimed that Adriana told him the baby was asleep.
When Adriana went to the store to get cigarettes, he noticed the baby was not breathing. He said he performed CPR, but did not call for help.
When Adriana came back, they decided to put the baby in a bag because they did not think anyone would believe their story about how the baby died.
Adriana admitted through an interpreter that the baby had been coughing and losing weight and she had not been dressing him properly. She also told almost the same story as Raul except she said it was his idea not to call anyone and he decided to dispose of the child.
The couple also admitted to selling their food stamps so that they could buy drugs instead of feeding the family.
UPDATE JAN. 24: North Las Vegas police have arrested two suspects in connection to the death investigation of a 3-month-old infant that occurred on Jan. 19. in the 2500 block of Carroll Street.
Detectives identified the suspects as 52-year-old Raul Ramos and 32-year-old Adriana Hernandez. Ramos and Hernandez were the father and mother of the infant, according to police.
Friday, the North Las Vegas Detective Bureau located the two in the 2200 block of North Las Vegas Boulevard. Both were arrested on three counts of child abuse or neglect and one count of destroying/concealing evidence.
Ramos and Hernandez were booked into the Las Vegas City Jail.
The North Las Vegas Police Department thanked the community for helping with their investigation.
ORIGINAL STORY
NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) -- North Las Vegas police are asking the public to help identify a baby found in a dumpster on Sunday morning.
Police say they discovered the body of a Hispanic boy who appears to be 1 to 6 months old inside a dumpster in the 2500 block of Carroll Street near East Carey Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard North.
DEAD BABY FOUND@NLVPD says a baby boy between 1-6 months old was found dead inside a dumpster near Carey and Civic Center yesterday.
Neighbors say this was the dumpster where the body was found. Pieces of crime scene tape can be seen in the neighborhood @KTNV pic.twitter.com/oIfmQ9wBQi
— Austin Carter (@AustinKTNV) January 21, 2020
Detectives need the public’s help in this investigation and are asking citizens to check on their child, grandchild or nephew to make sure they are in good health.
The coroner's office will release the identity, and cause and manner of death, after proper notification to next of kin.
Anyone with information in this case is urged to call the North Las Vegas Police Department at 702-633-9111 or, to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555.
13 Action News spoke with Jamaal Moore, a coordinator at Olive Crest.
They're a local organization that is on a mission to make sure kids are in a safe home, and to facilitate that process.
"We’re providing daily routines, assign with stress management behaviors, establishing communication with the family," says Moore.
Moore says often these incidents involve families experiencing crisis like homelessness, postpartom depression and other mental health issue.
"Las Vegas is such a transient city where we may not have other family members that we can call on, our neighbors that we can call on and say hey I'm struggling," says Moore.
If you are a parent in need of help, or know someone who needs help, you can call Olive Crest’s 24/7 hotline at 702-960-1436.
