A 17-year-old Georgia girl initially charged with concealing the death of her newborn baby has now been charged with the infant’s murder.
The Marietta Police Department said Friday it had charged Leticia Rodriguez with felony murder and felony aggravated assault, WXIA reported.
A relative discovered Rodriguez digging a hole in the backyard to bury the baby’s body on November 24, leading to charges of concealing a death, abuse of a dead body, and abandonment of a dead body, as reported by CrimeOnline.
During police questioning, Rodriguez admitted to using a sharp knife to sever the umbilical cord from the baby’s neck after birth, resulting in a large laceration. She then disclosed using a pocketknife to remove the deceased infant’s heart, as reported by WXIA.
The new charges accuse the teen of causing the baby’s death.
Rodriguez was taken to a hospital for treatment after the birth and arrested when she was released on Wednesday.
She’s being held without bond.
