West Alabama Couple Arrested Trying to Dispose of Dead Newborn

A woman from Tuscaloosa County and a West Alabama man were arrested Sunday after allegedly trying to dispose of a deceased newborn at several regional funeral homes.

According to a deposition filed Tuesday morning, the Marengo County Sheriff's Office contacted the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office Sunday about a couple who arrived at Whitfield Regional Hospital with a dead infant.

Police say the couple, who the Thread will not yet identify by name, gave conflicting accounts about when the baby had been born. Eventually, the parents said the child was born at the mother's residence in Moundville here in Tuscaloosa County.

They allegedly said the child died and "admitted to investigators that they had been riding around with the deceased infant's body to different funeral homes trying to find one that would take the baby to dispose of it."

At this time, the man and woman have both been charged with corpse abuse, which is a Class C felony in Alabama.

The commander of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit said they are working with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences to determine the child's cause of death and decide if any other criminal charges are warranted.

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Because the cause of death is still in question and this investigation is still ongoing, the Thread will not yet identify the suspects by name. Stay connected for updates if and when they develop.