Anne Mae Demegillo, Florida college student gives birth in toilet only to watch baby drown & then bury newborn later that evening in backyard. 20-year-old Palm Coast native claimed she had no idea she was pregnant and ‘unexpectedly’ gave birth.
A 20-year-old Florida woman who claims not knowing she was pregnant, ‘unexpectedly’ gave birth Thursday, March 5, only to then watch as the newborn drowned in the toilet, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Anne Mae Demegillo then placed the baby girl’s body in a duffel bag in a closet at her family home and headed to class at Daytona State College and then to a theater performance in New Smyrna Beach.
The college student who is pursuing ‘forensic science’ returned home about 10 p.m. and removed her baby’s body from the duffel bag, wrapped it in a towel and buried it in a shallow grave in her backyard.
Charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child
Demegillo sent a message about the baby to a friend on social media and the friend contacted the Sheriff’s Office for a welfare check according to the Daytona Beach News Journal.
That prompted deputies to respond to Demegillo’s home in the 100 block of Florida Park Drive about 4 a.m. Friday, March 6, leading to her arrest.
Demegillo was charged with one count of aggravated manslaughter of a child. She is expected to be booked into the jail on Friday night, March 6.
Demegillo showed deputies were she had buried the baby in the backyard, the sheriff’s office stated. Deputies removed about 4 to 5 inches of dirt and found the baby’s body.
The baby girl weighed 3 pounds, 6 ounces and was 18.7 inches long, the sheriff’s office stated.
Demegillo’s mother was at the home when deputies arrived.
Anne Demegillo knowingly and purposefully allowed the newborn to drown in the toilet
Chief Deputy Commander Joseph Barile said during a press conference on Friday afternoon, that Demegillo told deputies she didn’t know she was pregnant. She said she had cramps, went to the bathroom and gave birth to a ‘live child.’
Barile said Demegillo watched the newborn until she stopped breathing.
Demegillo had sent a message to a friend saying she had delivered a baby in the toilet and the child had been crying initially. She walked away and when she returned the child had stopped crying and moving. But Barile also said that she had watched the child die.
Officials also noted that Demegillo reportedly showing no visible sadness or remorse when speaking with deputies.
The FCSO’s Major Case Unit and Crime Scene Investigation determined that ‘Demegillo knowingly and purposefully allowed the newborn to drown in the toilet,’ a press released stated.
Florida’s Safe Haven Law allows for unharmed newborns up to 30 days old to be brought to a local fire station, hospital or law enforcement agency and be surrendered without any legal consequences.
The investigation is continuing and the sheriff’s office asked anyone with information about the case to call 386-313-4911.
