Authorities in Florida have arrested a college student, saying she gave birth in a toilet and left the baby to die before performing as part of a college play.
Anne Mae Demegillo was arrested on Friday, March 6, for involuntary manslaughter of a child.
Demegillo, 20, was arrested by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, which said it received a call Friday morning asking for a welfare check on an elderly woman.
“The caller informed dispatchers that Anne Mae Demegillo, 20, sent text messages to the caller saying she was secretly pregnant and gave birth unexpectedly at home,” FCSO Deputy Chief. Joe Barile he told reporters during a press conference on Friday.
When the police arrived at Demegillo’s house, she allegedly confirmed to the police that she had given birth in the bathroom the day before. It is said that he told the detectives that the newborn baby cried but eventually died.
“At that time, she hid the baby in a duffel bag in her room and continued with her normal daily activities,” Barile said during a press conference.
He said Demegillo then went to his local college “to do a play” Anything Goes before returning home.
Demegillo is said to have admitted to the police that he buried the child in a shallow grave in his backyard at 10 pm on Thursday, March 5.
Demegillo said that she did not even have the AIDS virus that she was pregnant until she gave birth to the child.
It is said that later he led the authorities where the baby’s body was buried.
Investigators believe she “knowingly and intentionally allowed the infant to drown in the toilet,” according to the statement.
It was not immediately clear which college Demegillo attends
Barile said the dead baby weighed 3 kilograms, 6 ounces, adding that the investigation into the child’s death is ongoing. The child’s gender was not revealed.
He also took a moment to remind people that Florida’s Safe Place Act protects parents who cannot care for a newborn and gives them the opportunity to safely surrender a baby at any fire station, hospital or police station.
A New Mexico woman gave birth in a portable toilet and “threw” her newborn daughter into the toilet tank, where the infant drowned, according to police. Now, Sonia Cristal Jimenez, 38, faces one count of child abuse with intent resulting in death, a first offense, the Las Cruces Police Department said. […]
“This is a sad tragedy for our community, for the family involved, and an emotionally difficult case for our team,” the Sheriff said. Rick Staly in the statement. “I want to remind our community, especially our expectant mothers: Florida law allows you to bring a baby at birth to a local fire station, hospital or law enforcement agency and donate the baby. That is a much better solution than what we are investigating today – for everyone involved, but most importantly the baby that was denied the life it deserves. May God bless this baby on the ground and never find a loving baby and comfort his hands on earth.”
Demegillo appeared in court on Saturday, March 7, but it is unclear if he pleaded guilty to the charges.
He is being held without bond and does not have an attorney of record.
Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to call the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at (386) 313-4911.
