Los Angeles County prosecutors have formally charged a 19-year-old woman with murder and child assault causing death. This follows the tragic discovery of her 4-month-old daughter inside a South Los Angeles trash bin. The case has sent shockwaves through the local community, drawing intense scrutiny from law enforcement and deep grief from the infant’s foster family.
- Arrest and Formal Charges Filed in South LA
- Identity of the Infant and Family Heartbreak
- Ongoing Investigation and Community Response
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is charged in connection with the infant’s death?
- When and where was the baby found?
- What is the bail amount for Takiyah Babers?
- Have authorities released a cause of death?
- How can the public support the family?
Arrest and Formal Charges Filed in South LA
Takiyah Rochelle Babers was taken into custody by Los Angeles Police Department officers on Tuesday morning, September 30, 2026. Authorities detained her near an apartment complex located in the 5200 block of Alba Street, directly across the street from Holmes Avenue Elementary School.
On October 1, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office officially charged Babers with one count of murder and one felony count of assault on a child causing death. She is currently being held at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood in lieu of $2 million bail. Her arraignment, initially scheduled for Thursday afternoon, was subsequently continued to October 30.
According to LAPD Juvenile Division Lt. Dave Hoskins, officers responded to a death investigation call at approximately 10:30 p.m. on Monday, September 28. A neighbor searching the apartment complex dumpster for recyclables made the grim discovery when they spotted a heavy bag wrapped in a blanket. Initially believing the object to be a doll wearing shorts and gloves, the neighbor realized it was an infant and had her daughter call 911. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics transported the baby girl to a nearby hospital, where medical staff pronounced her dead upon arrival.
Identity of the Infant and Family Heartbreak
While formal identification by the coroner’s office is pending, the baby’s foster grandparents identified her as Luna. Herman Johnson and Laura Lacy, who had been caring for the infant since her birth on May 25, 2026, spoke out about the devastating loss.
Lacy explained that baby Luna had been primarily in their care, but they had recently allowed Babers-whom they identified as their foster daughter-to visit the child. On Monday, Johnson and Lacy dropped Luna off at Babers’ residence within the Puebla del Rio housing complex. Hours later, after seeing news reports detailing the infant’s discovery and noting a distinct physical trait-that the baby found in the trash had six toes, just like Luna-the grandparents grew frantic.
When Johnson and Lacy confronted Babers, she allegedly offered shifting accounts. She claimed first that the baby was sleeping and later stated that the infant was with her biological father. Realizing the inconsistencies, the grandparents contacted authorities.
“That was the sweetest little baby in the world. To be found in a Dumpster, dirty Dumpster, it just broke my heart,” Herman Johnson told local reporters. “Why would you throw her away? She didn’t do anything,” Laura Lacy added.
Ongoing Investigation and Community Response
As of now, law enforcement officials have not released an official cause of death or a potential motive behind the homicide. Detectives from the LAPD’s Abused Child Unit are continuing their active investigation into the timeline of events leading up to Monday night.
In the wake of the tragedy, local residents established a spontaneous memorial directly outside the apartment complex dumpster on Alba Street. Mourners left dozens of lit candles, bouquets of flowers, and tied balloons to the trash bin to honor the infant. Additionally, a GoFundMe campaign titled “A beautiful home going for baby Luna” was organized to assist the grieving family with funeral and burial expenses, raising thousands of dollars within days of its launch.
Authorities urge anyone with additional information regarding the incident to contact the LAPD’s Abused Child Unit at 213-486-0530.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is charged in connection with the infant’s death?
Nineteen-year-old Takiyah Rochelle Babers has been charged with one count of murder and one felony count of assault on a child causing death.
When and where was the baby found?
The 4-month-old infant, identified by her foster family as Luna, was found unresponsive inside a large trash bin in the 5200 block of Alba Street in South Los Angeles around 10:30 p.m. on Monday, September 28, 2026.
What is the bail amount for Takiyah Babers?
Babers is currently being held at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood on a $2 million bond.
Have authorities released a cause of death?
As of early October 2026, law enforcement and county medical examiners have not yet released an official cause of death or a motive.
How can the public support the family?
A GoFundMe page titled “A beautiful home going for baby Luna” has been established to help the foster family cover burial and memorial expenses.
