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Mother Jailed 17 Years Later for Infant's Drowning
29 Jun
Summary
- Mother sentenced to six years for drowning her newborn in 2009.
- Costco receipt and DNA testing finally linked mother to the crime.
- Baby girl, named Matea Esperanza by officers, was found in a dumpster.
Angela Onduto, 47, has been sentenced to six years for the 2009 killing and abandonment of her infant daughter. The baby, named Matea Esperanza by Union City police officers, was found dead in a dumpster in mid-2009. Prosecutors alleged Onduto drowned the newborn in her bathtub before discarding the body.
For over 17 years, the case went unsolved. Investigators were unable to connect any suspects until recent advancements in DNA technology, coupled with a Costco receipt found near the discarded baby, finally linked Onduto to the crime. She was arrested in July 2025 near Denver, Colorado.
Onduto pleaded no contest to the charges and received credit for time already served. The Union City Police Department had maintained a memorial for the child, demonstrating their commitment to the case and the memory of Matea Esperanza, a 'Gift from God' and 'Hope'.
