Woman arrested for murder of infant found at Days Inn Woman arrested for murder of infant found at Days Inn (July 16, 2004)

Motel maid believed to be baby's mother

Palo Alto police said they believe the woman they arrested for allegedly murdering an infant whose body was found by construction workers in Palo Alto last week to be the baby's mother.

"We do have reason to believe that (she) is and that will be proven through DNA testing,'' police Detective Kara Apple said.

Maria Ana Quinones, 22, of Santa Clara, was taken into custody last Saturday night and booked into San Jose's main jail for murder around 9:30 p.m.

Quinones works as a maid at the Days Inn in Palo Alto, blocks from the Mountain View city border, near where the baby's body was found.

The corpse was discovered inside a garbage bag July 7 by a construction crew working on a fence between the Days Inn and a neighboring condominium complex in the 4200 block of El Camino Real.

The infant's body was so badly decomposed that the county coroner could not determine the baby's race or gender during an autopsy the next day.

Police said last Friday they would have to wait for DNA test results, which should arrive in about six weeks, to find out whether the baby was a boy or a girl.

Quinones is being charged with murder and, as of last Saturday, was being held without bail, according to police.

Anyone with more information on the case is asked to contact the Palo Alto Police Department's anonymous tip line at 329-2190 or Detective Natasha Powers at 743-9933.

-- Bay City News

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