3 dead babies -- 1 in trash, 2 in totes -- found in evicted mom's home, Pennsylvania cops say
Published in News & Features
Three dead babies were discovered in a woman’s home weeks after she was evicted from her residence, according to Pennsylvania authorities and news reports.
Pennsylvania State Police announced the arrest Sept. 15 of Jessica Mauthe, who troopers say is charged with criminal homicide and abuse of a corpse.
Attorney information for Mauthe, 39, was not available as of Sept. 15.
Mauthe was evicted from her Cadogan Township home on Aug. 14, and her landlord began cleaning the property for the next renter on Sept. 12, according to court records obtained by PennLive.com.
“While cleaning out a closet, (the landlord) observed a trash bag in the closet with a foul odor,” the Leader Times reported, citing an affidavit of probable cause. “Inside the trash bag was a towel wrapped around something decomposing.”
After a coroner confirmed the contents in the trash bag included a dead baby, officers continued their investigation and found two more deceased infants inside totes in the home’s attic, according to the criminal complaint also obtained by KDKA.
Troopers said Mauthe was questioned by authorities, telling them she she gave birth to the babies before placing them where they were later found, WTAE reported.
The most recent of the infants was born about a year ago, PennLive.com reported, as Mauthe was sitting on the toilet.
“Police said Mauthe told them she took the baby from the toilet and wrapped it in towels ‘until it stopped making noises.’ Then she put it in the closet,” KDKA reported.
Investigators said Mauthe gave birth to the other two babies in the same home, according to the Leader Times.
“These infants were also wrapped in towels, placed in plastic bags, and then placed in totes, according to court papers,” the Leader Times reported.
Court records show Mauthe was denied bail during her Sept. 15 arraignment. She is due in court for a preliminary hearing Sept. 23.
Cadogan Township is about a 35-mile drive northeast from Pittsburgh.
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