A former Florida college student is facing several charges in the death of a newborn baby whose body was found wrapped in a towel in a trash can.
Brianna Moore, 19, has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child, child neglect causing great bodily harm and two other charges, including failure to report a death.
State’s Attorney Suzy Lopez said Moore was arrested in her home state of Mississippi, in the city of Quitman, and will be extradited to Florida.
An autopsy revealed that the girl was found with multiple broken ribs along her spine and bleeding in her lungs.
The medical examiner has ruled the cause of death as homicide.
Moore was arrested in her home state of Mississippi and will be extradited to Florida
Moore’s roommates called the police after finding a bloody towel in a trash can. Officers discovered the newborn’s body wrapped in a towel
“It breaks my heart to know that this girl could still be alive today if this woman had alerted authorities that she needed help. Instead, she took actions that directly led to the death of her newborn baby,” Lopez said.
“This is a difficult and nuanced case to prosecute, and our community must continue to educate women about the many resources available to them in situations like this. This baby’s death was avoidable.
“I have been a prosecutor in my own hometown for over 20 years… this is a case that I have struggled with,” Lopez said through tears. ‘It involved a newborn baby who had not even been given the chance to live.’
Lopez has vowed to ensure Moore is held accountable for her actions.
“For crying out loud, there’s a fire station across the street from the University of Tampa,” Lopez explained. “Tampa General Hospital is just a two to three minute drive away.”
Brianna Moore, 19, has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child, child neglect causing great bodily harm and two other charges
“It breaks my heart to know that this girl could still be alive today if this woman had alerted authorities that she needed help. Instead, she took actions that directly led to the death of her newborn baby,” Hillsborough State’s Attorney Suzy Lopez said
Prosecutors say Moore’s roommates heard a baby crying in their University of Tampa residence on the night of April 27 and found blood in their shared bathroom.
Campus security was called and Moore told them the blood was from menstruation, Lopez said.
Moore’s roommates called the police again the next day after finding a bloody towel in a trash can. Officers discovered the newborn’s body wrapped in a towel.
Police quickly identified Moore as the baby’s mother.
Following her arrest, Moore is currently being held at the Lauderdale County Jail in Mississippi, but will soon move to Tampa.
Florida’s Safe Haven law allows parents to anonymously surrender unwanted babies up to 30 days after birth, no questions asked.
A parent who has just given birth can deliver a child to the medical staff at a hospital or fire station.
