A 14-year-old girl in Louisiana has been arrested after seeking medical care following the birth of a baby who was later found dead at her home, authorities said.
On Friday, Nov. 21, the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office was notified by a local hospital that a 14-year-old had come in for treatment after giving birth at her residence, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.
Deputies went to the teen’s home in Denham Springs, La., where they learned she had delivered a baby and allegedly placed the newborn inside a tote-style bag. The girl’s name has not been released due to her age.
Emergency responders discovered the infant deceased inside the bag, with “extensive injuries to the neck,” the statement said.
“Medical Personnel believe the infant was carried to full term, born alive and killed immediately after birth,” Sheriff Jason Ard said in the statement. “It is believed the teen did conceal her pregnancy from family.”
The girl was initially charged with failure to seek assistance and obstruction of justice. After an autopsy determined the newborn’s death to be a homicide, the charges were upgraded. She is now facing a count of first-degree murder and is being held at the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center.
