NEW CASTLE, PA (KYW/WTAE/CNN) – A 23-year-old woman is facing charges of homicide, concealing the death of a child and abuse of a corpse, after the body of her days old newborn was found under her porch.
Brittany Robinson, 23, was denied bail during her arraignment Monday morning.
Police say Robinson’s father was putting up Christmas lights and running a wire under the porch at his Pennsylvania home Sunday. There, he found a bag containing a baby’s body.
He called 911, and troopers responded around 3 p.m.
Court documents allege Robinson gave birth to a full-term baby boy in the bathtub at her home on Friday.
She told investigators the baby did not have a heartbeat and was not breathing, so she cleaned him off, wrapped him in a black T-shirt and put him in a bottom dresser drawer on the porch.
Police say she went to work Saturday then checked on the baby, who was still not breathing. Robinson told investigators she then moved the baby to the crawl space where her father found the body.
Court documents say Robinson told police she didn’t know she was pregnant, but according to police, she ordered pills online in early October that she thought would end the pregnancy.
However, Robinson’s family didn’t know she was pregnant, police say.
"They've all indicated that they were not aware of it, that she kept it a secret. Once again, she has an 8-year-old child as well at this time, so she is familiar with being pregnant,” Lt. Eric Hermick said.
Court documents allege Robinson never sought medical attention or went to the police because she was scared.
A preliminary autopsy shows the baby was born weighing seven pounds after a full-term pregnancy.
Police say Robinson’s family is cooperating with authorities.
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