A Lancaster County woman was charged Tuesday with concealing the death of a child and abuse of a corpse after police discovered a dead premature baby in the trash outside of her New Holland home.
Marie Guepsie Lavaud, 40, delivered a baby in her home on July 23 but didn’t tell anyone about it, according to police reports. Officers responded to Lavaud’s home on July 27 for a report of an emotional/psychological issue around 8 p.m.
According to police reports, Lavaud confessed to friends and officers that she had given birth and placed the baby in the freezer before putting it in the trash. Officers later found the baby in a trash bag outside the home.
An autopsy performed on Monday revealed the infant was between 28 and 34 weeks gestation. It is unknown whether or not the baby was born alive or dead.
Lavaud is currently getting treatment at a local hospital for mental health issues.