MCSO arrests Yareli Diaz for murder of her infant she had given birth to earlier that day

On 4/03/2018 around 10:05 PM the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office was called to the Ukiah Valley Medical Center on the report of a suspicious death of an infant, decedent Mia Diaz, who was less than one day old.

Deputies learned the infant had been delivered by the suspect, Yareli Diaz, earlier that day.  In Diaz's initial statement she claimed that she was unaware that she was pregnant but delivered the baby while in the bathroom at her home.  The death of the child was determined to be suspicious, as it appeared to be a health baby with no obvious cause of death, and the suspect's statements were inconsistent.  The Mendocino County Sheriff's Detectives were assigned to continue the investigation.

During the investigation Detectives learned Diaz delivered the child around 2:45 PM but failed to render any aid or care to the child.  Diaz cleaned up the bathroom in what appeared to be an attempt to conceal the child's birth from her parents.  Diaz wrapped the child in a towel and carried the child to a parked vehicle and placed the child in the rear seat area and left her there while she (Diaz) went back into the house.  The outdoor temperature on the afternoon of 4/3/18 was 77 degrees fahrenheit according to the National Weather Service.

Diaz later responded to work shortly before 6:00 PM and worked until approximately 8:45 PM where she left for work to meet a friend.  Diaz then told the friend what had happened and the friend convinced her to immediately take the baby to the hospital for care.  Detectives believed between the birth and the arrival at the hospital the infant had received no care from Diaz.  Life saving measures were attempted by hospital staff but they were not successful.

A post mortem examination was later conducted by a forensic pathologist and the infant was found to be a full term, healthy female.  In August the Mendocino County Coroner's Office received the final cause of death from the pathologist.  The cause of death  was determined to be asphyxia due to the baby's mouth and nose being covered by towels and the placenta.

Detectives learned Diaz did in fact know she had been pregnant and that she had delivered a child several years before that her parents were helping her raise.   At the conclusion of the investigation Detectives submitted the case to the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office for review and consideration of a charge of murder.  The DA's Office then filed a case in the Mendocino County Superior Court and requested an arrest warrant charging Diaz with murder.

On 6/25/2019 around 5:45 PM Deputies responded to the 2400 block of North State Street in Ukiah and took Diaz into custody on the warrant.  She was later booked into the County Jail on one count of murder.  Her bail was set at $500,000.