LOS ANGELES (FN) — Authorities are investigating the death of a newborn baby girl whose body was discovered Monday evening at a student housing complex near the University of Southern California.
Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to Cardinal Gardens Apartments on McClintock Avenue after receiving a call about a 20-year-old woman experiencing breathing difficulties. The woman was transported to a nearby hospital just before 6 p.m., according to officials.
Roughly an hour later, emergency crews were called back to the apartment complex after the LAPD reported finding an unresponsive infant inside the unit. The baby was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified the child as a full-term newborn, approximately 19 hours old. An autopsy is pending to determine the exact cause of death.
USC student Hugo Mayorquin, who lives nearby, said responders appeared to know where to go. “They went straight to the bedroom, so I’m assuming they already knew something that happened,” he told reporters.
The LAPD confirmed that its Juvenile Division is leading the investigation. No arrests have been made, and authorities have not released further details about the mother or the circumstances surrounding the baby’s death.
The incident has shocked the University Park community, where students and residents are grappling with the tragedy. USC officials have not yet commented publicly on the matter.
As the investigation continues, police say they are working closely with medical examiners and child welfare authorities to determine what led to the infant’s death and whether any criminal charges may follow.
