Homicide

Mother of newborn baby found in trash arrested on suspicion of attempted murder

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Police walk near garbage cans where a baby was found Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014, in Kearns, Utah. Police say the newborn, who was left in the trash can near his mother's home, is in extremely critical condition. Unified Police Detective Jared Richardson says a woman who lived nearby heard what she thought was a kitten meowing in the trash bin on Tuesday morning. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (The Associated Press)

A unidentified woman is escorted from a home by a police officer after a baby was found in a garbage can in Kearns, Utah on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014. Police say the newborn is in extremely critical condition he was left in a trash can near his mother's home. Unified Police Detective Jared Richardson says a woman who lived nearby heard what she thought was a kitten meowing in the trash bin on Tuesday morning. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (The Associated Press)

A unidentified woman is escorted from a home by a police officer after a baby was found in a garbage can in Kearns, Utah on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014. Police say the newborn is in extremely critical condition he was left in a trash can near his mother's home. Unified Police Detective Jared Richardson says a woman who lived nearby heard what she thought was a kitten meowing in the trash bin on Tuesday morning. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (The Associated Press)

Utah authorities have arrested a 23-year-old woman who they say dumped her newborn baby in a neighbor's trash can.

Unified Police in Salt Lake City said in a statement that Alicia Marie Englert was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of attempted murder.

The baby was found Tuesday by a woman who heard what she thought was a kitten meowing. The girl is in critical condition.

Police say she was born Monday. They don't think she has received any medical care or food.

A Utah state law allows mothers to drop off newborns at hospitals without consequences.

Authorities said they don't have any information about where the mother gave birth or why she may have left the baby in the trash can.