A stunning development has surfaced in a 15-year-old cold case involving the death of a newborn baby discovered in a California dumpster. Angela Onduto, 46, of Colorado, has been charged with the murder of her newborn daughter after DNA evidence revealed that she is the baby’s biological mother.
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office filed murder charges against Angela, which led to her arrest in Denver on July 2. The allegations originate from a 2009 investigation in Union City, California, when a newborn baby girl was found deceased in a dumpster outside an apartment building.
According to Union City police, Onduto was initially identified as a person of interest in the inquiry. However, no arrest was made at the time, and the case went unsolved. That changed in recent years, when modern DNA testing revealed a connection between the baby, eventually named Matea by officials, and Onduto.
Detectives tracked down Onduto in Denver on Matea’s 16th birthday in May. She was first held but then freed while official charges were pending. Onduto was re-arrested on July 2 after the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office officially filed charges, and he is currently being held in Colorado awaiting extradition.
Matea’s small body was found on May 18, 2009, by a man looking for recyclables. The newborn, still with her umbilical chord connected, was wrapped in blood-soaked pantyhose and abandoned as trash. This tragic image left an indelible impression on the Union City community, which lay her to rest in 2017 with a permanent cemetery site and continues to celebrate her birthday every year.
According to the Bay Area News Group, Onduto admitted to killing the baby shortly after giving birth at home. Detective Dominic Ayala, who was assigned to the cold case, noted that Onduto admitted to the crime with “no remorse” and indicated that she never meant to retain the baby while pregnant.
Onduto also reportedly denied suffering from any mental illness or drug use during the incident.
Despite the arrest and confession, Union City Police emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing. They continue to gather more information about the events surrounding Matea’s death and the years that followed.
Angela Onduto is currently being held in Colorado and will soon face the judicial process in California, where she is accused of committing the horrifying act that ended the short life of a defenseless newborn.
This case, long cold and forgotten, has now returned to the forefront with hopes of finally delivering justice for Baby Matea.
