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Stockton woman pleads guilty to concealing birth of baby she dumped at casino
STATELINE, Nev. — An 18-year-old Stockton, Calif. woman has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges she concealed the birth of her son, who was found dead at a Stateline casino.
Christina Ramirez gave birth in a restroom at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe early May 7, according to investigators, who said she dumped the baby in a sanitary napkin bin.
Ramirez entered her plea before the start of a preliminary hearing Tuesday. She faces a maximum of one year in jail and $2,000 in fines for concealing the birth, a gross misdemeanor in Nevada.
She is scheduled to appear May 30 for sentencing at Douglas County District Court and remains in jail on $25,000 bail.
Preliminary autopsy results did not show the child was harmed. If further toxicology tests show the baby was alive before being abandoned, prosecutors could file additional charges, Deputy District Attorney Kristine Brown said. Defense attorney Derrick Lopez provided three letters to Judge Glasson written by a family member, teacher and a church member defending Ramirez’s character. Brown has said family members did not know Ramirez was pregnant.
