4th dead baby found hidden in home after eviction
Inset, center: Jessica M. Mauthe (Armstrong County Jail). Background: Images from inside the home where Mauthe allegedly hid four dead babies (WPXI).
A Pennsylvania woman is facing additional charges after authorities discovered the body of a fourth deceased infant inside a home she had been renting.
Jessica Mauthe, 39, was initially arrested last weekend after the remains of a baby were found wrapped in a towel and placed in a garbage bag inside a closet. Following her arrest, investigators discovered three more infant bodies in the attic of the same residence, located on Oak Avenue in Cadogan Township.
Mauthe now faces multiple charges, including criminal homicide, involuntary manslaughter, and abuse of a corpse.
The home’s owner, Brent Flanigan, told WPXI that he evicted Mauthe last month for failing to pay rent. On September 13, he returned to the property with a worker after learning she had abandoned several cats. While cleaning, they discovered the first body inside several tightly sealed garbage bags. The odor led them to investigate further, ultimately uncovering the remains.
“When we peeled back the towels, we could see it was something decomposing — and I knew it wasn’t an animal,” Flanigan said.
Authorities were called to the scene, and the Pennsylvania State Police later confirmed the recovery of four deceased infants in total.
According to the criminal complaint, Mauthe told police she gave birth to all four children in the bathroom of the home. She claimed the first baby died after she passed out on top of it. The second, she said, was stillborn. Mauthe allegedly admitted to killing the third child last year after hearing it make noises while in the toilet. She reportedly wrapped the infant in a towel until it stopped making sounds.
Details about the fourth child have not yet been disclosed.
Officials said Mauthe never sought medical assistance for any of the newborns and did not contact authorities following their deaths. Autopsies are currently being conducted by the Indiana County Coroner’s Office.
Mauthe remains in custody at the Armstrong County Jail without bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 30.
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