Baby Found Dead in Toilet

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Story Published: Jun 9, 2009 at 6:18 PM PST

By Molly Kelleher

BOARDMAN - A mother faces murder charges. Her baby found dead in a toilet. Police say the baby was dumped in an Eastern Oregon port-a-potty. And sadly, this is a crime our area has seen before.

"How can you do that to a child? That's just uncalled for. I don't know what is the matter with people,” said Stan Toms.

As word spread around Boardman, emotion sometimes spilled over. One mother of six just heard the news. She got choked up.

"That's just not right. How could someone do that to their own kid?"

It's a question dozens of police are working to answer. Details of the investigation are limited right now, but here's what we know so far.

The baby's body was found by a worker cleaning port-a-potties in Hermiston. The toilet was traced back to farm workers outside Boardman and eventually to 21-year-old Araceli Velasquez-Espain.

She's now in jail on $2 million bail. Araceli Velasquez Espain is charged with murder, manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, criminal mistreatment and concealing the birth of an infant. U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services is also investigating.

This latest case is very similar to a case from from Franklin County three years ago.

In August 2006, police say a mom left her baby girl in a Mesa dumpster. Strangers rallied around the infant, making sure baby Ortiz had a proper burial.

There was a coroner's inquest and the mother returned to Mexico rather than face deportation. She was eventually charged with homicide, but authorities can't find her. There is still a warrant out for her arrest.

The parallels are striking. Both women were migrant workers, one here illegally and the other now being investigated by INS.

"Agencies are there for people to connect with but individuals don't know about them. But regardless, help or no help, it's just not human," said Martin Montesdeoca.

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