HOUSTON, Texas (TNND) — A woman who left her deceased baby in a toilet at a Texas gas station has been sentenced to four years in prison, according to court records.
Diana Guadalupe Zavala Lopez, 27, was sentenced on Monday, over a year and a half after the incident occurred on the morning of April 2, 2023. Authorities say she abandoned her infant at a gas station in Houston.
Zavala Lopez, a Mexican national, appeared before Harris County District Judge Kristin M. Guiney. She had previously pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence — specifically, a human corpse. The court records indicate she was credited with 489 days served.
Zavala Lopez was arrested on August 1, 2023, at a bus station in Brownsville, Texas. She was extradited to Harris County to face charges.
The Houston Police Department responded to the Shell gas station located at 13114 South Post Oak Road after receiving a request from the fire department at 4:25 a.m. on April 2, 2023. Paramedics found a dead baby in the restroom toilet. While attempting to provide medical assistance, they realized the baby had already been deceased for several hours.
For months, the case remained unresolved. However, in July, authorities released security footage from the gas station. The video showed a woman exiting a white Cadillac and entering the business. With help from tips from the public, investigators identified Zavala Lopez as the person of interest. They later learned she had been attempting to flee the country.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents detained Zavala Lopez in Brownsville, Texas.
KHOU reported that Zavala Lopez told investigators she did not attempt to remove the baby from the toilet, check for signs of life, or perform CPR. She also claimed she was unaware she was pregnant until she experienced pain at a party.
Zavala Lopez told authorities she stopped at the gas station to use the restroom and noticed heavy bleeding. She described feeling something come out of her and fall into the toilet, which she flushed without looking. She later admitted to seeing the infant face down in the toilet but did not check if the baby was alive. She said she pushed again and used her hands to remove the umbilical cord and placenta.
According to the report, Zavala Lopez then attempted to clean up by wiping the blood off her legs and shoes. She found a mop outside the restroom and used it to clean before leaving. Zavala Lopez also mentioned that she put an article of clothing from her car on the driver’s seat before driving home.