FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A 20-year-old Florida woman has been indicted by a grand jury on first-degree murder charges after an investigation revealed she had allegedly allowed her newborn daughter to drown in a toilet and then attempted to conceal the death.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said that on Monday, a grand jury handed down a “true Bill”, charging Anne Mae Demegillo with first-degree premeditated murder, aggravated child abuse, and failure to report a death with intent to conceal it.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Demegillo was initially arrested on March 6 for aggravated manslaughter after law enforcement received a call requesting a welfare check. The call reportedly indicated that Demegillo had secretly given birth at home.
It was reported that when deputies arrived, she expressed uncertainty about her pregnancy but admitted to experiencing abdominal pain earlier that morning.
According to officials, Demegillo delivered the baby while using the toilet and believed the infant was dead.
She allegedly hid the baby in a duffel bag in her closet and later, after returning home from a theater performance, dug a shallow grave in her backyard to bury the child. Investigators said that she knowingly allowed the newborn to drown in the toilet.
See also: Florida woman accused of drowning newborn after secret home birth
In a Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Major Case Unit investigation, detectives said they uncovered troubling evidence from her phone, including searches for “newborn premature babies,” “Palm Coast OBGYN,” and “foods to decrease fertility.” They also reported finding images related to the death of a child.
“This case is shocking and tragic,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “It’s incomprehensible that a mother would let her newborn die rather than help. I commend our investigators and digital forensics team for their thorough work in uncovering the evidence that led to this indictment.”
Demegillo is currently being held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility without bond, pending a court hearing.
Florida’s Safe Haven Law offers an alternative for parents who are unable to care for their newborns. Parents can safely surrender their babies at designated locations, such as fire stations or hospitals, without fear of prosecution.