Surveillance video records as woman throws baby in dumpster in New Mexico, police say

HOBBS, N.M. -- An 18-year-old in New Mexico is facing charges after reportedly admitting to throwing her baby in a dumpster shortly after delivering it.

A store owner near where it happened shared surveillance video that appears to show her doing it.

"What are, what are we looking for here? I turned around, she goes, 'We're looking for somebody that dumped a black garbage bag in the dumpster.' And I said 'please do not tell me it was a baby,' and she grabbed my shoulder and said, 'yes,'" business owner Joe Imbriale said.

Imbriale recalled the moment Hobbs police asked to review security video from his store after a baby was believed to have been thrown in it.

"This should not have happened. There's other ways to give a baby away, but you don't dump it. You just don't. I'm sorry," Imbriale said.

Security video KOAT received from Imbriale showed what happened on Friday.

The video shows it is 2 p.m. when a white car pulls up to the dumpster.

A woman exits the driver-side of the car, opens the back passenger door, grabs a black bag and throws it into the dumpster.

She then proceeds to leave.

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"The girl just drives up like it's a piece of trash, reaches in the back of a car, dumps it, just drives off, no remorse," Imbriale said.

Fast forward to 7:42 p.m.

A group of people appears to be looking through the dumpster when they come across a black bag.

You can see a woman pull out a baby and begin walking with it.

Minutes later police arrive at the scene.

"Luckily, we had dumpster divers back there, and they pulled it out, and they didn't even know what was in the bag," Imbriale said.

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According to a news release from Hobbs police, investigators were able to locate the suspected vehicle.

Alexis Avila, 18, was interviewed and confessed to giving birth to the child at another location, then placing it in the dumpster.

"I got to say thank you to all the law enforcement agencies out there. People don't know what they go through every single day of their life and they take that home," Imbriale said.

Avila's arraignment hearing is scheduled for Monday.

She was charged with attempt to commit a felony and child abuse.

Luckily, the baby was found alive and taken to a Texas hospital where it is stable.