Newborn Girl Found Dead Near Motel Dumpster — Mother Charged With Capital Murder

A tragic discovery outside a motel in Fort Worth, Texas, has led to the arrest of a 23-year-old mother and her boyfriend after a newborn baby girl was found dead inside a bag near a dumpster.

Police were called to the Drummers Inn on October 18, 2026, after a woman searching through the dumpster discovered the infant. The baby was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Investigators soon began piecing together the circumstances surrounding the newborn’s death, reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing people connected to the motel.

What Investigators Say Happened

Authorities identified the mother as Avia Cantrell, who was living at the motel with her boyfriend, Camron Baker, 26, and three other children.

According to an arrest affidavit cited by PEOPLE, Cantrell’s sister-in-law had contacted police to request a welfare check because she was concerned about Cantrell’s pregnancy.

Investigators allege that Cantrell eventually admitted giving birth to a baby girl in the bathtub of her motel room on October 14. According to the affidavit, she said she left the infant face down in the water for approximately 30 minutes before moving her.

Cantrell allegedly told investigators that she believed the baby had died. The infant’s body was then placed in a bag and kept in the motel room for several days, according to police.

Authorities allege that Baker later placed the bag inside a brown overnight bag and disposed of it in the dumpster, where the infant was discovered.

Mother and Boyfriend Face Charges

Cantrell was charged with capital murder of a person under 10 years old. Baker faces a charge of abuse of a corpse.

The case has drawn attention to the circumstances surrounding the newborn’s birth and the decision not to seek medical assistance. Investigators are continuing to examine the evidence, while the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office works to determine the infant’s cause of death.

The couple’s three other children were placed with a relative, according to reports.

The charges remain allegations, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Source:  PEOPLE