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Wilson Police Arrest Mother After Finding Baby in Industrial Clothes Hamper

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WILSON — Wilson investigators have a woman in custody for allegedly dumping a baby in a trash can. The infant is still alive.

Police have arrested the infant's mother, 20-year-old Adela Gomez. She is charged with attempted first-degree murder.

Police say Gomez gave birth about 6 p.m. Thursday in the employee bathroom at the Smithfield Packing Company. She was an employee there.

Apparently, another employee heard what was going on and heard the baby in the trash can. That is when authorities were called to the scene.

"The baby was alive, an employee heard noises coming from the trash can when the employee went in to assist the mother," says Detective Bryant Gibson with the Wilson Police Department.

Police say Gomez did not say much about what happened.

"She is very distraught. She is somewhat upset, and she has basically told us that she was unsure she was having the baby at that time and that it was pretty much an accident. However, we have got some discrepancies in that story right now," Gibson said.

The infant was six to eight weeks pre-mature.

Police believe the father of the boy may be out of the country and may not even know about the baby.

Gomez also has a 2- to 3-year-old daughter. Police believe that daughter is in Mexico with her grandmother.

"We're still investigating that as well, and the Department of Social Services is looking into the whereabouts of the child and making sure that child is being taken care of under the circumstances of the infant," Gibson said.

The infant is in Pitt Memorial Hospital where her condition has been improved from critical to serious condition.

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