Police: Mother, grandmother charged with murder after newborn placed in trash

Tesalon Felicien
The Greenville News
Estela Ruiz-Gomez

A Greenville woman and her mother are facing murder charges in connection with the death of the daughter's newborn baby, who was placed in a trash bin at a restaurant, according to Greenville police.

Estela Ruiz-Gomez, 18, of Taylors, was charged Tuesday with homicide by child abuse, according to an arrest warrant. Ruiz-Gomez gave birth to a child on July 12 while in the restroom of the La Parrilla Mexican Restaurant in Greenville, and failed to provide the child with medical attention and care at the time, according to the warrant.

Lorenza Gomez Rodriguez

Her mother, Lorenza Gomez Rodriguez, 41, also of Taylors, is charged with homicide by child abuse, aiding and abetting, according to an arrest warrant. Rodriguez was present when her daughter gave birth and failed to provide adequate care or medical attention for the child, according to the warrant.

Officers responded to the restaurant at 1 Market Point Drive in regards to a newborn baby suffering from cardiac arrest and were advised that Ruiz-Gomez had given birth in the bathroom, according to Greenville Police Department spokesman Johnathan Bragg.

The baby had a heartbeat and was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later, according to Bragg.

A July 13 autopsy by the medical examiner found no medical reason why the child died after birth and noted that dirt and gravel were found on the baby’s body, Bragg said.

When two deputy coroners later returned to the restaurant for further investigation, they learned new information, Bragg said.

According to employees at the restaurant, Ruiz-Gomez went to the bathroom during her break because her stomach was hurting and Rodriguez went in to check on her, Bragg said.

Shortly after the two exited the bathroom, a female employee emptying out trash in the restrooms dragged the bag across the parking lot, because she was having difficulty lifting it, Bragg said. The bag tore, and a newborn baby fell out and onto the pavement, Bragg said.

Bragg said Ruiz-Gomez' boyfriend, the baby's father, retrieved the baby from the ground and took him back inside the restaurant. EMS was then called to the scene.

On Monday, the medical examiner told detectives the baby's death would be ruled a homicide because he would have likely survived had he not been placed in the trash, Bragg said.

Homeland Security is investigating both women because of their immigration status, Bragg said.