Authorities Look to Identify Dead Woman and Infant

No name has turned up yet for either an infant girl or the woman who together jumped, fell or were pushed out of a moving pickup truck on Halloween night in Santa Ana, apparently killing the woman, police said tonight.

The infant and the woman, possibly her mother, were either pushed or jumped from a dark-colored pickup truck about 8 p.m. Thursday in the 1600 block of West Edinger Avenue, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

Witnesses told police they saw the woman either jump or get pushed from a dark-colored pickup truck eastbound on Edinger, Bertagna said.

Both were taken to a hospital, where the woman was pronounced dead, Bertagna said. The girl's injuries were not considered life-threatening, he said.

The victim had no identification on her, "so we don't know who she is or if the baby belongs to her," Bertagna said. Investigators checked databases to see if they can get a fingerprint match, Bertagna said.

Surveillance video footage in the area was being sought as well, he said. It was not immediately clear if the woman was hurt before being ejected from the pickup, if she was killed by the fall, or if some combination of factors was at work, the police spokesman said.

The victim is a Latina in her 20s, and the baby is also of Hispanic descent, Bertagna said.

Police asked anyone with information about the case to call Santa Ana police at (714) 245-8390. Anonymous are also accepted by Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS.

-- City News Service