Police identify 16-year-old girl as mother of baby found atop garbage can

Chicago police confirmed the identity of the mother of a baby boy who was found on top of a garbage can on Tuesday, according to WBBM-TV.

Detectives interviewed a 16-year-old girl, whose identity has not been released, Wednesday night and concluded that she was the baby's mother by Thursday morning.

Authorities are still questioning the young mother and the baby's father. No information has been released on how police were able to track the two down or whether either would face charges.

A mother and daughter reportedly spotted the baby on top of a trash can in an alleyway on Chicago's Northwest Side Tuesday afternoon. The infant, who still had its umbilical cord attached, was "cold as the concrete" when he was discovered, according to paramedic field chief Pat Fitzmaurice. Temperatures were in the 40s the night before.

"I wasn’t too optimistic," Fitzmaurice said. "I wasn’t ready to lose this one today, and neither were they. And they worked very hard. Then we got excellent response from Chicago police, who escorted the ambulance to Norwegian American [Hospital], and they did a fantastic job there."

The baby was later transported to another hospital after medical staff stabilized him. A source told the station that he eventually opened his eyes and moved his arms and legs.

The family of a missing pregnant 19-year-old high school student had previously thought that the baby was hers. Marlen Ochoa-Uriostegui, who is married and was supposed to be due on Sunday, was last seen leaving Latino Youth High School. Her family now believes she was kidnapped, the family's pastor Rev. Walter Coleman said.

"We’re convinced now that there’s some wrongdoing here; that this is not somebody that just disappeared," he said. "This is somebody that we believe is being held, and we hope that she’s alright."