14 year old mom may be charged in newborn's death

A newborn died as a result of being submerged in a school toilet in Baytown and having toilet paper stuffed down his throat, the Harris County medical examiner said Monday after a two-month investigation. The autopsy also found blunt trauma to the infant boy's head and neck and declared his death to be a homicide.

The boy's 14-year-old mother, who police believe may have tried to flush her son down the toilet, told authorities she never knew she was pregnant when she gave birth on April 2 at Cedar Bayou Junior School. The girl has acknowledged to a counselor, however, that she was afraid to tell her parents about having sexual relations.

At the most, her attorney Gerald Yoakum said, the 14-year-old thought she was having a miscarriage. The infant weighed 7 pounds and was 16 inches long when buried, Yoakum said. He believes the baby arrived two months early, but Baytown police said they believe he was full-term.

Investigators have stated the baby "cried at least once" before his mother attempted to flush him down the toilet.

[pragmatist]

"I didn't know I was pregnant."

"I was afraid to tell my parents."

Which is it?

Her lawyer is already spinning for the potential jury pool.

1 - She didn't know she was pregnant.
2 - The baby was premature.
3 - Even if she did know, she thought she was having a miscarriage.

I wonder what his answer will be for the ME finding toilet paper stuffed down the baby's throat? VERY strong suction in the toilet?

This is certainly a tragedy on all sides. A 14 year old child, pregnant. A newborn murdered. But, a human life was taken by the 14 year old. There has to be consequences.

[marlindot]

it is sad all the way around, however, if you are old enough to make the decision to have sex, than you are old enough to accept the concequeces for the act of killing a baby.