Austin Woman Arrested After Newborn Found Abandoned in Dumpster, Baby Recovers in Hospital

Neli Dinora Rivera Felipe, a 22-year-old woman from Austin, Texas, was arrested for abandoning a newborn baby girl in a dumpster near North Lamar Boulevard. Felipe admitted to giving birth to the baby in her apartment bathroom and, believing the infant to be lifeless, placed her in a bucket and then discarded her in the dumpster. The baby was rescued more than 16 hours later by a bystander and is currently in stable condition at a local hospital. Surveillance footage and witness reports helped police identify and locate Felipe, who faces charges of abandoning or endangering a child, a second-degree felony. Authorities remind the public of Texas' Safe Haven law, which allows parents to legally surrender infants under 60 days old at designated locations to prevent such incidents. Police continue to investigate and encourage anyone with information to contact the Austin Police Department's Child Abuse Unit.