An Iowa woman who tossed her newborn son away in 2023 is scheduled for sentencing this month.
According to Law&Crime, Megan Staude admitted guilt earlier this year to second-degree murder as part of a plea agreement, which led to the dismissal of her initial first-degree murder charge by the prosecution.
In 2023, as previously covered by CrimeOnline, Megan Staude revealed that she left her newborn in a box without care after delivering him at home.
She and her father, Rodney Staude, allegedly told police that after two days with the infant crying off and on, they put him in a trash bag, alive.
They later disposed of the child in the ditch, despite state laws permitting them to leave him at designated facilities without legal repercussions.
The Safe Haven Act in Iowa allows parents or authorized individuals to leave an infant up to 90 days old at a safe location like a hospital, fire station, or with an Adoption Service Provider, without facing abandonment charges.
The situation came to the attention of the police after Staude’s co-workers noticed her pregnancy had ended. She initially claimed that the baby passed away on the way to the hospital and that she buried him at St. John’s Cemetery in Cumming.
The Des Moines Register reports that police searched the cemetery and “did not notice any disturbed ground or signs of a fresh burial.”
Rodney Staude, who initially backed up his daughter’s story, eventually confessed and let police to the 5300 block of Delaware Street, near Norwalk.
Norwalk Police Chief Greg Staples reportedly said that cadaver dogs with rescue group Iowa SAR K9 then found the infant covered in snow.
Police also found evidence inside the Staude home that someone had given birth there.
“Safe Haven laws exist for a purpose,” commented Staples. “It’s unfortunate that the failure to use these laws in this situation resulted in the death of a newborn and serious criminal charges for two individuals.”
“If there is a silver lining, it’s the hope that this story might encourage a pregnant person to make use of these laws, ensuring their baby has a chance at life,” Staples added.
Rodney Staude is currently facing a first-degree murder charge and is scheduled for trial in October.
Megan Staude’s hearing is set for September 22. She faces up to 50 years in prison.
[Feature Photo: Megan Staude, left, and Rodney Staude/Warren County Jail]
