An infant is abandoned by mother at Lomita store

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying an infant who was abandoned by her pregnant mother at a Lomita store this week.

The sheriff’s department said in a written statement that the infant, described as a girl between 7 and 9 months, was left at a store Tuesday evening in the 2000 block of Pacific Coast Highway by her pregnant mother.

A store employee told deputies that a pregnant woman had walked into the store and placed the infant in a shopping cart. At some point, the woman left the store and got into a taxi, leaving the child behind in the shopping cart.

The department released photos of the infant and the pregnant mother hoping that the public may recognize and identify them.

Sheriff‘s officials said for now, the infant has been placed in the care of the Department of Children and Family Services. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Lomita Sheriff’s Station at (310) 539-1661.