Baby's Body Found In Freezer Of Homestead Home

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A woman in distress in the Keys led police to a disturbing discovery - the body of an infant in a freezer.

On Sunday, Monroe County Sheriff's deputies were called to the northern end of the Seven Mile Bridge.

"Our dispatchers got a phone call from a woman who said she's suicidal, wanted to kill herself," said  sheriff's spokeswoman Becky Herrin.

The woman, Paola Vargas-Ortiz, told deputies she had taken rat poison, according to the sheriff's office.

"The deputy saw she had a car seat in her car that indicated the presence of a small child they began to ask her where the child was," said Herrin.

At first Vargas-Ortiz said she had thrown her baby in the water. The Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife were contacted to begin a search. She then changed her story and said the baby was with relatives.

After they questioned about which relatives, Vargas-Ortiz changed her story again.

"Finally she told them that her baby was in a freezer at a house in Homestead," said Herrin.

Deputies in the Keys learned that the woman lived at the Isles at Oasis neighborhood. They knew they had to get in that home quickly.

"We called Homestead and gave them the address.  They went to that location and apparently, indeed , found the baby in the freezer" said Herrin.

The baby appeared to be about four months old.

Neighbors were stunned learning that an infant was found dead in the freezer.

"It's terrible. How could you have a child and then somehow in the freezer?  That's terrible," said neighbor Jessie Smith.

Vargas-Ortiz was taken to Jackson Memorial for treatment and psychological observation.

Due to her mental state, homicide investigators are waiting on the medical examiner's report on the cause and manner of the child's death.

No charges have been filed at this time.