Local News in Brief : Abandoned Girl’s Identity a Mystery

Authorities are trying to determine the identity of a little girl who apparently was abandoned by her mother in Hawthorne.

Ray La Motte of the county Department of Children’s Services said the mother left the child in the care of two transients on Oct. 20, saying she would return shortly. When she did not return after several hours, the transients took the child to the Hawthorne Police Department.

Authorities have been unsuccessful in their attempts to identify the child, whom they are calling Rachel, or find her parents, La Motte said.

The youngster, who was neatly dressed in matching purple sweat shirt and pants with white stripes, appears to be a Latina about 2 1/2 years old, he said. The girl, who has no known medical problems or developmental disabilities, is living with foster parents while authorities try to identify her, La Motte said.