A baby girl was abandoned in a shopping cart at a store in Lomita, California, a city in Los Angeles County, authorities revealed on Thursday.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) detectives have identified the baby girl, estimated to be between seven and nine months old, as well as her pregnant mother, according to an ABC7 report.
The incident reportedly took place around 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday at a business on Pacific Coast Highway. The mother allegedly asked an employee to call a taxi while she went to the restroom.
“When the taxi arrived, the woman left the store, leaving the infant behind in a shopping cart,” authorities stated.
The sheriff’s department shared a photo of the child on Wednesday, along with a surveillance image of the mother, requesting the public’s assistance in locating her.
While the child was initially placed with the Department of Children and Family Services, detectives managed to contact family members who identified the infant and her biological mother, the LASD shared on social media.
No additional details were disclosed.
Anyone with pertinent information is urged to contact Lomita Sheriff’s Station at (310) 539-1661, or make an anonymous tip via Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
