A 38-year-old woman faces felony charges after allegedly giving birth and abandoning her newborn in the chemical tank of a portable toilet at Burn Lake in New Mexico, where the infant drowned.
Arrest and Charges
Sonia Jimenez was arrested on Wednesday and charged with one count of intentional child abuse resulting in death. Officials report that on February 7, Jimenez arrived at Memorial Medical Center around 10:30 p.m., appearing to have recently given birth but without the baby. Her boyfriend had brought her to the hospital after they visited Burn Lake, a nearly dried-up lake about six miles away, where she used a porta potty.
Discovery of the Infant
Police searched the portable toilet and discovered the newborn girl dead inside the holding tank. Investigators believe Jimenez gave birth, cut the umbilical cord, and placed the baby in the tank, leading to her drowning.
Autopsy Findings
An autopsy conducted on February 9 confirmed the infant was alive when placed in the tank. Medical examiners found blue chemical liquid—commonly used in portable restrooms—in the baby’s trachea, lungs, and stomach, indicating she breathed and swallowed it while struggling.
Police Chief’s Statement
“This is one of the most heartbreaking and disturbing cases I have encountered in my career,” Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story stated. Authorities plan to collaborate with the district attorney’s office to seek justice for the infant.
Jimenez is held without bond at the Dona Ana County Detention Center. No charges are expected against her boyfriend, as officials determine he was unaware of the birth.
Broader Context
A national nonprofit documented 31 cases of newborns abandoned in dangerous locations like dumpsters and backpacks across the U.S. in 2021, with 22 found dead.
In a similar incident in October 2024, a newborn girl with her umbilical cord still attached was found dead in the rear courtyard of a Bronx apartment building in New York City. EMS pronounced her dead at the scene after residents discovered her.
