Ford City woman charged after 3 dead infants found in rental home
Police have charged an Armstrong County woman after they discovered three dead babies inside the house she had been renting, they said.
The investigation into Jessica Marie Mauthe, 39, of Ford City began when the landlord of a property in the 100 block of Oak Lane, Cadogan Township, was cleaning out the home Saturday, according to a criminal complaint.
The landlord had evicted Mauthe in August.
While the landlord was cleaning the home, he noticed a trash bag with a foul odor, the complaint said. South Buffalo police and the Armstrong County Coroner’s office responded and confirmed a dead infant was inside the bag, according to the complaint.
State troopers were called to assist in the investigation, the complaint said, and they located two totes in the attic, also finding two more dead infants.
During a police interview, Mauthe said she gave birth to the babies and described placing them in the locations where they were found, according to the complaint.
Mauthe faces charges of criminal homicide and abuse of a corpse.
She is currently being held in the Armstrong County Jail.
Kellen Stepler is a TribLive reporter covering the Allegheny Valley and Burrell school districts and surrounding areas. He joined the Trib in April 2023. He can be reached at kstepler@triblive.com.
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