AP file photo
A woman in western Pennsylvania has been charged with criminal homicide, involuntary manslaughter, and multiple counts of abuse of a corpse after the remains of her four infants were discovered in a home from which she was evicted last month.Authorities said the decomposed remains were found in a closet by her landlord, leading to her arrest last week.Jessica Marie Mauthe, 39, was taken into custody after her former landlord alerted police to the home she used to rent near Ford City, approximately 40 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Authorities allege that Mauthe gave birth to the infants over a period of six years and killed them shortly after each delivery.State police reported that the remains were discovered in a bedroom closet and the attic of a home on Oak Avenue in Cadogan Township. According to the arrest affidavit released Thursday, the landlord stumbled upon a trash bag emitting a foul odor while cleaning a closet on September 13, finding decomposing contents wrapped in towels, as per ABC News. Investigators later recovered the bodies of three additional infants in the attic, each placed in tote bags, wrapped in towels, and enclosed in plastic bags, police said.
How did the babies die
Mauthe gave birth to a child in her home bathroom about six years ago, as per the affidavit. She told investigators that after hearing the baby cry, she lost consciousness, and upon waking, found the infant unresponsive beneath her. She allegedly wrapped the baby in towels and plastic bags and placed it in a tote in the attic.During an interview with investigators, Mauthe said she gave birth to another baby in the toilet. Authorities stated that she left the infant there for about 15 minutes before removing it, placing it in plastic bags, and putting it in the same tote she used previously, as per the affidavit cited by NBC News. About a year ago, she reportedly gave birth to another baby at her home. According to the affidavit, she left the baby in the toilet for several minutes, during which she heard it making noises. Mauthe allegedly told investigators that she removed the baby, wrapped it in a towel, and held it “until it stopped making noises and stopped breathing.” She then placed the infant in multiple plastic bags and hid it in a closet, the affidavit states.Mauthe is being held without bail at the Armstrong County Jail. She faces charges including criminal homicide for the death that occurred a year ago, involuntary manslaughter for the death about six years ago, and four counts each of concealing the death of a child and abuse of a corpse. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next week.
