Police in Pennsylvania discovered a disturbing scene after the eviction of a woman from her rental home.
In August, landlord Brent Flanigan evicted 39-year-old Jessica Mauthe from her house in Cadogan Township for not paying rent, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and ABC affiliate WTAE. On Saturday, Sept. 13, Flanigan entered the home to clean up when he noticed a strong odor coming from a trash bag in a closet, the Post-Gazette reported, citing a criminal complaint.
Inside the closet, Flanigan found the remains of a baby and immediately contacted police, he told WTAE.
When investigators searched the property, they found two more tote bags in the attic, each containing the remains of another infant, according to WTAE and the Post-Gazette.
That same day, Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) charged Mauthe with criminal homicide and abuse of a corpse.
On Thursday, Sept. 18, police revealed another update. A fourth set of infant remains had been discovered, bringing the total to four, according to WTAE and CBS News.
Mauthe — who is the mother of two young boys, according to CBS Pittsburgh — admitted to investigators that she hid the bodies of three infants shortly after giving birth to them at home, the Post-Gazette and CBS News reported.
According to a criminal complaint, she told authorities that about six years ago, she gave birth in the bathroom, heard the newborn “whimpering,” then passed out. When she woke up, the baby had died, and she hid the body, CBS News reported.
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She also said she gave birth to two other infants, whose remains she placed in garbage bags and later inside tote bags, the Post-Gazette reported. Investigators said one baby died after Mauthe allegedly wrapped it in a towel.
Police wrote that she “could hear the child making several noises” but left the infant wrapped until it stopped.
According to investigators, Mauthe never sought medical help for any of the babies and never told anyone what happened, CBS News reported.
Mauthe has two sons, ages 6 and 8, and a husband who is currently in prison, per CBS Pittsburgh. The house where the remains were found was her childhood home, which she rented after her father died, the Post-Gazette reported.
Mauthe now faces one count of criminal homicide, one count of involuntary manslaughter, four counts of concealing the death of a child, and four counts of abuse of a corpse, according to CBS News. She is being held at Armstrong County Jail without bail as the investigation continues.
