A 34-year-old Southern California woman was arrested Monday after her newborn baby was found dead, authorities said.
Esmeralda Gonzalez Martinez of Thermal faces felony charges of voluntary manslaughter, willful harm to a child and infliction of great bodily injury following an investigation into the suspicious death of her baby, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said.
Deputies responded to a call about the discovery of a dead baby about 7:30 a.m. Monday in the 65200 block of Coahuilla Street in Mecca.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the baby was born and died at the same location.
The cause of death is pending.
Gonzalez Martinez was found at the location and transported to a hospital for treatment, investigators said. She was later arrested and booked into the jail in Indio about 10:30 p.m.
It was unclear what led to the arrest of Gonzalez Martinez.
Gonzalez Martinez is scheduled to appear in court at 8 a.m. Thursday, according to jail records.
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