Former Rare Staff
A Pennsylvania man was decorating his house for Christmas over the weekend when he found something so disturbing, he called 911.
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The father of Brittany Robinson, 23, was putting Christmas lights around his house in Shenango Township when he discovered the body of a newborn in a crawl space under the porch. The baby was covered in a t-shirt and placed inside of a Walmart bag.
After her father called 911, Robinson was taken the hospital for treatment relating to her birth and was arrested on charges, which included homicide and abuse of a corpse, upon being discharged.
JUST IN: The mother of a newborn baby that was found dead in a plastic bag under a porch in Lawrence County has been charged with criminal homicide: https://t.co/gxn5XrQdjJ pic.twitter.com/pqIIW9zcf4
— KDKA (@KDKA) November 27, 2017
Lt. Eric Hermick said the baby was “a viable 7-pound baby boy,” born at least 24 hours before he was found. According to Hermick, authorities are still determining what caused the baby’s death, whether it was “some exterior cause” or a natural passing. He reported that the baby was born alive, something that matches up with Robinson’s story of the events.
Robinson told police that she didn’t know she was pregnant until she began to give birth while taking a bath. She recalled experiencing abdominal pains leading up to the event. Investigators later found evidence that she was aware of her pregnancy prior to her giving birth.
“[The family] all indicated to us they weren’t aware, that she kept it a secret,” Hemrick added. “There’s laws in place that protect mothers if they don’t want their child. They can drop it off at police station, a hospital, fire department… [There are] a lot of families out there that want children that can’t have children.”
Robinson said the baby didn’t have a heartbeat or a pulse, so she washed him, placed him in a t-shirt, and put him in a dresser drawer. She later checked on him before work. She said that he wasn’t breathing, so she put him in the crawlspace.
She told that she didn’t tell anyone about the baby out of fear.
Robinson has an 8-year-old child that she does not have custody of. She was denied bail after during her appearance before a judge on Monday.
Now: Brittany Robinson, the 23yo woman accused in the death of her newborn baby boy, arrives at a Lawrence County district judge's office for her arraignment. #KDKA pic.twitter.com/GDyOtnxMwD
— Lisa Washington (@LisaWashing) November 27, 2017
Robinson reportedly cried in court.
Brittany Robinson covered her face as she left the magisterial district judge's office. Bail was denied for Robinson who cried as she sat in the courtroom. She's charged with criminal homicide, concealing the death of a child, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. #KDKA pic.twitter.com/je8G3FjYeD
— Lisa Washington (@LisaWashing) November 27, 2017
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