A mom faces a murder charge 30 years after she left her newborn in a grocery bag along the side of a California road, police said.
On Thursday, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Pamela Ferreyra. She was charged with murder and is being held in a California jail on $1 million bond.
The newborn was found along the side of Garin Road in 1994 by a man collecting aluminum cans, according to KSBW. The newborn - who became known as Baby Garin - was wrapped in a grocery bag.
"He opened up that paper bag and discovered something that nobody ever wants to find," the sheriff’s spokesman Andy Rosas said, according to KSBW. "When the person looked inside, they discovered the deceased baby boy’s body."
Investigators said Baby Garin was born alive but died later. An autopsy could not determine the exact cause of death. Police believe the child died between November 1, 1994, and December 3, 1994.
The case was unsolved for decades but was reopened in 2023. Advancements in DNA technology allowed investigators to use genetic material from the case to try and develop leads.
From there, a company was able to offer a lead on the baby’s family, according to USAToday. That led to Ferreyra’s arrest being ordered last week.
Monterey County Assistant District Attorney Matt L’Heureux told media outlets that they believe Ferreyra has other children.
He also said he couldn’t speculate on what was going through Ferreyra’s mind for the last 30 years.
"We run into a variety of different reactions. Some of them seem to think that they have gotten away with it and are very surprised. Some of them have been waiting for that knock on the door for decades," L’Heureux said. "I couldn’t tell you which situation this falls under but we’re happy this day has come."
