A 17-year-old mother has been charged after her newborn son was found dead and injured inside a home on Grambling Street, according to Marietta Police. The teen was arrested after reportedly attempting to bury the child in the backyard.
👶 Why It Matters: A newborn’s death under these circumstances prompts a criminal investigation and raises legal and community concerns as authorities determine the next steps.
🚨 What Happened: Officers responded to a residence Sunday afternoon and discovered the newborn dead and “clearly injured,” according to Marietta Police Department spokesperson Chuck McPhilamy.
• Police say the teen gave birth alone in her bed and concealed the baby’s death for about six hours.
• A relative reportedly caught the teen digging a hole in the backyard.
🩺 Current Status: The teen was taken into custody and transported to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital for medical care. She will be booked into Cobb County Adult Detention Center upon release.
• Charges include concealing a death, abuse of a dead body, and abandonment of a dead body.
🔬 Next Steps: The medical examiner is working to determine whether the newborn was stillborn or born alive, which will influence any potential additional charges. Police say this could take weeks to confirm.
Marietta Police will release further updates as the investigation progresses.