The body of an infant has been found after the mother allegedly admitted to wrapping up the boy in blankets and leaving him in an empty lot in Tijuana, Mexico, according to law enforcement officials.
Elliot Villalobos, 7 months, was reported missing last week by relatives in Chula Vista, California. Investigators say they were led to the baby's body by his mother who was found living in San Diego with her new boyfriend.
Miguel Angel Guerrero Castro, with Procseuraduría General de Justicia del Estado de Baja California (PGJE), confirmed the baby was found dead Friday in the Lomas de la Presa neighborhood, approximately 12 miles south of the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
Family members of the boy's mother, 20-year-old Jasmine Villalobos, contacted the Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD) on August 31, concerned that they had not heard from the young mother since the end of June.
She was considered missing along with her boyfriend Luis Espinoza, 22, of Mexico, according to CVPD. Espinoza is not the boy's biological father.
The next day, San Diego Police Officers found the couple staying in San Diego. The baby was not with them so the couple was interviewed by CVPD.
They told law enforcement officials the baby suffered a fatal fall, they were scared and didn’t know what to do so they wrapped up the baby in blankets and left him in an empty lot, Guerrero Castro said.
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NBC 7 spoke to Elliot's biological father who arrived in San Diego from the Central Valley on Tuesday.
"It's devastating. It's devastating," Joany Aguirre said. "You know especially the way I heard it. You know, I didn't want to come back to San Diego this way. I wanted to come back to see my baby with my family. I didn't want to come back this way. It's devastating. My heart is broken."
He told NBC 7 that he doesn't believe the story being told by the couple.
"I'm hurt. I'm hurt myself because I never expected this from her. It's crazy," he said. "I feel like I'm in a nightmare still. I can't sleep, I can't eat, I think about it all the time. And I think about my little baby all the time. It's devastating."
Aguirre said he wants justice for Elliot.
A GoFundMe page was started to raise money to get his baby boy's body back to the U.S. for a proper burial.
"He was always smiling. He never did no harm to no one. All he wanted was attention. When he did cry, it's because either he did wanted to be fed or he wanted to be changed and that's all he wanted," he said, adding that his baby boy did not deserve any part of this.
Those who lived near Villalobos' house told NBC 7 that they were shocked to learn of Elliot's death.
"I was like, 'how could someone do that to their baby'," neighbor Jessica Aceves said.
Another neighbor said there had been an argument among family members last week in the front of the house and police officers had been on scene.
“She kept saying something about 'You're a murderer, you're a murderer' or 'Your brother is a murderer' or something like that and something about a child,” said neighbor Jose Chavez said, speaking of Villalobos.
Villalobos and Espinoza agreed to return to Mexico to explain what happened to Mexican law enforcement authorities.
Officials there initially reported the couple was being detained in Tijuana. NBC 7 has learned no charges have been filed in the case and Villalobos has returned to the U.S.
The baby and his mother are citizens of the U.S.
Guerrero Castro said the baby was abandoned 20 days before he was found.
