Newborn's body found in trash in Fresno County; 18-year-old arrested

CLOVIS, Calif. -- An 18-year-old was arrested in Fresno County after the body of a newborn baby was found in the trash, police said.

In a squeaky clean Clovis neighborhood, power washers have done their best to remove all traces of blood.

For mothers like Cheri Krueger, no amount of cleansing can wash away the horror.

"We noticed their gate open, and there was a gentleman and all the cement was wet and he was there scrubbing, it was then that I knew that baby was in the garbage can in that person's backyard," said neighbor Cheri Krueger.

Police say the newborn's own mother made the body dump. They believe Angelena Hamilton did not tell anyone she was pregnant, harboring the secret, even from her own family.

"They really did not know. They are very much in shock over this whole thing," said Clovis Police Chief Matt Basgall.

Detectives said the mother's mental state is a mystery. They do not know why she chose the deliver the child alone. They say after getting rid of the body, she carried on with class at Clovis Community College, like nothing happened.

"It's devastating a newly born baby's life was lost, and an 18-year-old made the decision to do this, people need to know that there are options out there," said Basgall.

Reporters with ABC7's sister station KFSN-TV knocked on the family's home Thursday, but they did not want to speak.

Detectives told KFSN-TV the family members were heartbroken when they found out, and so was the rest of the neighborhood.

"I'm sitting in the hospital holding my brand new grandson, thinking somebody threw away a baby just like this, and to find out it was a girl, it's just sad," said Krueger.

Police said the baby was alive at the time of birth. An autopsy has been scheduled to find out how she died.