Los Angeles

Man Booked for Murder After Allegedly Stabbing 3-Year-Old ‘Baby Ruby' to Death

Police arrested a man who works inside the sewing shop in connection with the fatal stabbing.

A man was taken into custody Monday evening after fatally stabbing a 3-year-old at a sewing shop in downtown Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. 

A woman brought her child to work with her in the 800 block of McGarry Street in downtown LA on Monday.

Ruby Vasquez, nicknamed "Baby Ruby," had just been picked up from day care to be with her mother when the suspect stabbed the girl without warning. 

Detectives received a 911 call regarding an assault with a deadly weapon around 5:15 p.m. Monday.

The child was taken to a hospital by a private car where she later died. 

The coworker ran from the clothing factory after stabbing the girl several times with a knife, according to police. 

Detectives called the murder a "heinous act." 

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"We still don't know the motive," LAPD Det. Supervisor Moses Castillo said at a news conference Tuesday. 

Ricardo Augusto Utuy, 34, surrendered around 11 p.m. at LAPD's Rampart Division. He was arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing. 

Witnesses said that Ruby's parents work at the sewing shop. They would often pick up the girl from day care and take her to work with them, they added. 

Although Utuy and the girl's mother worked together, they had "minimal contact" with each other, officials said. 

The suspect, who had only worked at the shop for two weeks, was a new hire at the clothing manufacturing business, witnesses said. 

Utuy was booked for murder and his bail is set at $1 million. 

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