PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A teen girl has been charged in the death of her newborn after police said she repeatedly stabbed her baby with scissors after giving birth last month.
The 17-year-old told police she gave birth in the shower of her mother’s Northern Liberties apartment around 11 a.m. on April 25.
According to court records, she said the baby was making noise, she was scared, and moments after the birth, she stabbed the child numerous times with scissors.
Police said she ripped out the umbilical cord with her hands and put the child in a bedroom closet.
Paramedics told police the teen hadn’t told her mother she was pregnant, and, as they investigated the death, she talked about killing herself.
After her arraignment on Monday, she was released from police custody.
A hearing is tentatively scheduled for June 1. It is unclear if she is receiving mental health or medical treatment, but in response to questions, the District Attorney’s office referred to an earlier press release that said, in part, “any potential medical and/or psychiatric needs of juvenile defendants must be addressed.”
The teen was charged as an adult with voluntary manslaughter.
