Crime
Man Arrested After Newborn Found Dead in Dumpster Behind Memphis Gas Station
Boothe has been arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse.
MEMPHIS, TN – A Memphis man has been arrested in connection with the tragic discovery of a newborn baby inside a dumpster behind a gas station, authorities confirmed.
According to the Memphis Police Department (MPD), 45-year-old James Boothe was transporting a juvenile girl under the age of 18 to the hospital when she unexpectedly gave birth.
Instead of seeking medical assistance for the infant, Boothe allegedly placed the newborn inside a dumpster behind a Shell gas station on East Shelby Drive.
Law enforcement officers responded to the scene after receiving reports of the abandoned infant, but tragically, the baby had already died before authorities arrived.
A nearby gas station owner, who first made the heartbreaking discovery, reported seeing the infant’s body inside the dumpster.
The business owner also provided police with surveillance footage showing a man discarding a trash bag into the dumpster.
While the footage suggests the infant may have been inside the bag, police have not yet determined the official cause of death.
The baby’s mother was transported to a hospital in non-critical condition, though additional details about her identity and medical status have not been released.
Boothe has been arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse.
At this time, no further charges have been announced as authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death.
The case remains under active investigation by the Memphis Police Department. Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact law enforcement.
Authorities have identified the man shot and killed Friday afternoon in a parking lot outside a Little Caesars restaurant in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood.
The victim has been named as Stevens Jeffrey, 29, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The shooting occurred in the 2600 block of West Cermak Road near Rockwell Street at approximately 1:10 p.m., according to the Chicago Police Department (CPD).
Preliminary reports indicate that Jeffrey was sitting in his vehicle when he was approached by an unknown vehicle.
An armed individual exited that vehicle and opened fire, striking Jeffrey multiple times in the face and body.
Emergency responders arrived on the scene, where Jeffrey was pronounced dead. He was discovered inside his vehicle with his two young children, ages 4 and 6, who were unharmed.
Both children were transported to Stroger Hospital for precautionary evaluation.
The shooting took place in the parking lot of a Little Caesars restaurant, where investigators recovered multiple shell casings and placed numerous evidence markers on the ground.
As of Friday evening, no suspects are in custody, and detectives from the CPD Area Four Homicide Unit are leading the investigation. Police have not released information on a possible motive.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about this homicide to contact Chicago Police or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTip.com.