Baby is abandoned inside California store by pregnant woman who asked staff to call her a cab, then vanished

A baby girl abandoned in a store has been identified as cops launch manhunt to find her pregnant mother who left her there. 

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to calls of a baby, believed to be between seven to nine months old, left in a business at 2000 block of Pacific Coast Highway in Lomita earlier this week. 

When authorities arrived, they were told by staff that the baby's mother had entered the store and asked for a taxi. 

As an employee arranged for a cab, the woman went to the bathroom. 

But as soon as the taxi arrived, authorities said that the woman came out for the bathroom, got in the car and left the young child behind in a shopping cart.

The baby was then taken by responders and placed under the care of the Department of Children and Family Services as officials launched a search. 

The Sheriff's Office soon released photos of the infant and the mother on their social media pages - asking the public to help identify them. 

Later, the Sheriff's Office said in a statement that detectives had identified the duo and spoke with family members.

Authorities have yet not revealed the name or any other details about the baby or the pregnant mother. 

'Detectives spoke with family members of the abandoned infant who identified her and the biological mother. 

'The investigation is ongoing. There is no additional information available at this time,' the statement read. 

Officials have requested that anyone with more information about the case  to contact the Lomita Sheriff's Station.