The 50-year-old paternal grandfather of the baby left in a dumpster by a teenage mother in New Mexico will file for custody for their grandchild.
Oscar Astorga said that his son, Stephen, 16, is the baby's dad, but he and the mother, Alexis Avila, 18, have broken up since August 2021. The family was not aware that Avila was pregnant.
In an interview with Daily Mail, Astorga said they had retained a lawyer for the custody of Saul, the newborn, who was retrieved from the dumpster and is currently in treatment at a hospital in Texas. According to reports, the baby is in stable condition.
Astorga refused to make any more comments about his son and daughter's relationship since they want to ensure that this custody will proceed with much success. He said that his family has nothing to hide amid reports that they receive death threats from people on social media.
No Idea She's Pregnant
Avila was caught tossing her newborn child in a dumpster by security cameras on Friday, January 7, 2022. She told the police she was not aware that she was with a child until the day before her son's birth. She said she went to the doctor on Thursday, January 6, complaining about stomach pain and constipation; that's when she was told she was having a baby.
The young mom said that she gave birth inside the bathroom in her house, but it's unclear if she was on her own all this time. That same day, Avila tossed her child into the shopping mall dumpster by mid-afternoon.
Saul was found by three people scouring the dumpers at 8:00 p.m. They reported the incident to the police and kept the baby warm while waiting for the paramedics to arrive. Reports cited that the baby in the dumpster still had his umbilical cord when he was found.
Avila was charged with attempted murder, but she has been out of jail after paying a $10,000 bond. She confessed to her crime and admitted that she panicked.
Investigators estimated that the baby was in the dumpster for six hours. Saul is currently under the care of the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department.
Parents Unaware, Too
Meanwhile, Avila's parents also said they were not aware she was pregnant. They were, however, aware of her stomach issues. Avila's mom, Martha, said she's shocked, but she doesn't care about other people's judgment because everyone makes mistakes.
"People can preach all they want, they can judge all they want but we only care about the judgment of one," the mom said.
Martha also said that Avila's boyfriend was banned from their home in June because he allegedly hit their daughter. However, a friend of the teenager insisted that she had been open about being pregnant and decided to stop going to school in mid-December. One classmate claimed that Avila talked about her pregnancy positively around September or October last year.
The police also found evidence the baby's father had text conversations with a friend about Avila's miscarriage. They are looking into this matter as well.
The authorities also want to remind the public that New Mexico has a Safe Haven Law where newborns may be left behind anonymously at hospitals, police stations, or fire stations without any questions asked.
