A Pennsylvania mom was arrested and charged last week in the deaths of four newborns after her landlord found decomposed remains in the closet of her rented home, authorities said.
The gruesome discovery was made Sept. 13 after the landlord went to the Cadogan Township home to clean it out, according to a criminal complaint against Jessica Marie Mauthe.
Authorities allege that Mauthe, 39, gave birth to the babies over six years and killed them immediately after they were born. She is accused of hiding the remains in trash bags and totes throughout the home, the complaint says.
She is charged with criminal homicide, involuntary manslaughter, abuse of a corpse and concealing the death of a child. Her attorney could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
The landlord told police that Mauthe had been evicted from the home in August and that while he was cleaning, he found a trash bag in the closet emitting a foul odor, a probable cause affidavit says. The landlord said that inside the trash bag were towels "wrapped around something decomposing." The coroner's office confirmed that it was the remains of a baby, according to the affidavit.
Troopers with the Pennsylvania State Police found two totes in an attic that contained the remains of three babies, the affidavit says.
Mauthe told investigators that she gave birth about six years ago in the bathroom of her home, according to the affidavit. She said that she heard the baby whimpering and that she passed out on the floor, it alleges.
When Mauthe woke up, according to the affidavit, the baby was underneath her and was not breathing. She is alleged to have told investigators that she wrapped the baby in towels and plastic bags and hid the baby in a tote that she placed in the attic.
During the interview with investigators, she is alleged to have said she gave birth to another baby in the toilet. Authorities said she left the baby in the toilet for about 15 minutes before she removed the baby, placed the infant in plastic bags and put it in the same tote she had previously used, the affidavit alleges.
About a year ago, she gave birth to another baby at her home. According to the affidavit, she left the baby in the toilet for several minutes. During that time, she heard the baby making noises, the affidavit says.
Mauthe told investigators that she removed the baby from the toilet, wrapped it in a towel and held the baby "until it stopped making noises and stopped breathing," according to the affidavit. She then placed the baby in several plastic bags and hid it in a closet, it says.
Authorities did not say how the fourth baby died. Police said Mauthe never sought medical treatment after the births and did not report any of the deaths.
Mauthe is in custody and was denied bail, according to online records. She is due back in court next week.
