Woman accused of letting newborn drown in toilet, burying baby in backyard, sheriff says

A Florida woman has been arrested after giving birth to a baby in her bathroom toilet and allegedly letting it drown before burying it in a shallow grave in her backyard hours later, investigators say. (Credit: Flagler County Sheriff's Office via CNN Newsource)

A Florida woman has been arrested after giving birth to a baby in her bathroom toilet and allegedly letting it drown before burying it in a shallow grave in her backyard hours later, investigators say.

According to information provided by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, someone called authorities requesting a welfare check on a woman, who was later identified as Anne Mae Demegillo, 20, of Palm Coast, around 4 a.m. on March 6.

The sheriff’s office said that the anonymous caller claimed Demegillo sent her text messages saying that she had secretly been pregnant and unexpectedly gave birth at home.

The message also showed that Demegillo’s baby was born alive and crying, but Demegillo had apparently done something to the infant, according to the sheriff’s office.

When Flagler deputies arrived at the scene, they said they met with Demegillo, who told them that she wasn’t sure she was pregnant, but began to experience severe pain overnight, and later delivered the child in her bathroom toilet.

She claimed that she thought the infant was dead, so she hid it in a duffle bag in her closet and went about her day, the sheriff’s office said. When she returned from a theatre performance in New Smyrna Beach, she decided to bury the dead infant in a shallow grave in her backyard, authorities said.

At no point did she contact emergency services for help, the sheriff’s office continued.

After the investigation, detectives said that they determined Demegillo “knowingly and purposefully allowed the newborn to drown in the toilet.”

Demegillo has since been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child.

“This is a heartbreaking tragedy for our community, for the family involved, and an emotionally difficult case for them,” Sheriff Rick Staly said.

Staly went on to say that under Florida’s Safe Haven Law, parents who cannot care for a newborn can bring the child at birth to a local fire station, hospital or law enforcement agency to surrender it.

“That is a much better solution than what we are investigating today – for everyone involved, but most importantly the infant who was prevented from the life they deserve,” Staly continued. “May God bless this infant and hold and comfort the baby in his loving hands with the love the baby never received on earth.”

The sheriff’s office said that Palm Coast’s Save Haven Baby Box allows for someone to remain anonymous if surrendering a newborn, and it’s located at Fire Station 25.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about what took place should call the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at 1-386-313-4911.