Bridgeton girl, 14, charged with murdering newborn in fairgrounds toilet
By EDWARD VAN EMBDEN
Staff Writer, 856-649-2072
Published: Thursday, May 08, 2008
BRIDGETON - A 14-year-old mother has been charged with murdering her baby, who was found dead in the tank of a public toilet, Cumberland County Prosecutor Ron Casella said Wednesday.The girl, a Bridgeton resident, gave birth to the baby boy in a bathroom stall at the Cumberland County Fairgrounds during a Cinco de Mayo celebration Sunday and allegedly removed the lid of a working toilet and hid the living baby inside.Cleaning crews discovered the body Monday.The results of an autopsy conducted Tuesday found that the infant was submerged in the tank water and drowned as a result. Casella said an investigation is ongoing to determine whether the mother, identified only by the initials I.S., acted alone in the slaying."We're alleging, specifically, that she gave birth in a public toilet, then lifted the tank and put the baby in the working tank where there was obviously water," Casella said.
Casella indicated further review of the case will determine whether the teenager will be charged as a juvenile or an adult.The girl, who Casella said likely was hiding her pregnancy from her family and acquaintances, gave birth at the holiday celebration between 8:15 and 8:30 p.m., he said.The girl was found sometime Tuesday after police received tips from people within Bridgeton's Mexican community revealing who and where she was, Casella said.A friend of the girl's family who read about the dead baby contacted the girl's father because he suspected she was the mother, Casella said. Casella declined to say if the father came forward with the information.The murder complaint was served to the girl Wednesday, but she was not taken to the county's juvenile detention center for unspecified reasons, Casella said. She is not considered a flight risk, he said.Casella declined further comment on the location of the girl and the relationship with her family and the father of her child because of her juvenile status. He said he had feared the efforts of the police might be stymied by an untrusting community, but said he was pleased to find that members of Bridgeton's Mexican community were cooperative.The Prosecutor's Office worked jointly with the Millville Police Department. Casella credited Millville Detective Jeremy Millville and Detective Ron Henry from the Prosecutor's Office with ultimately finding the girl.To e-mail Edward Van Embden at The Press:evan embden@pressofac.com
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