The heart-wrenching story that is making the national news is about Amara Oliver. Her father Alnath Omar Oliver, 53, was arrested Thursday, 10 years after Portland police responded to a report of a deceased baby found in a recycling center. The medical examiner ruled the baby’s death a homicide. She was given the name “Baby Precious” as her name remained unknown and the case went cold.
It was on May 28, 2013 that North Precinct officers responded to a report of a deceased baby found in a recycling center at 4325 North Commerce Street. The case was big from the beginning. The Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide. Multiple organizations got together including the Portland Police Bureau and Crimestoppers of Oregon but nothing came up.
The U.S. Marshals Service arrested Oliver Thursday and booked him into the Multnomah County Detention Center, according to a Portland Police news release. “While we continue to mourn the death of baby Amara, we hope this significant announcement helps our community with the healing process from this tragedy,” said Portland Police Bureau Chief Chuck Lovell in the news release.
On September 18, the Grand Jury indicted Amara’s father, Alnath Omar Oliver, 53, of Portland, on charges of Manslaughter in the Second Degree (2 counts), Criminal Mistreatment in the First Degree (2 counts), Rape in the Third Degree, and Concealing the Birth of an Infant. On September 21, 2023, The United States Marshals Service arrested Oliver and booked him into the Multnomah County Detention Center on the arrest warrant.
It was in December of 2021 that Detective McGuire was alerted to a family connection found via an anonymous submission. Another year-and-a-half in the investigation identify Baby Precious’ through the maternity and paternity that located a suspect. Detective McGuire, with the assistance of the initial investigator, Detective Kristina Coffey, also learned during the investigation that Baby Precious’ name was Amara.
