Leticia A. Rodriguez, a 17-year-old Georgia mother, faces multiple charges, including felony murder, after allegedly killing her newborn son in a gruesome act before attempting to bury the baby in her backyard, according to police. Marietta Police.
Authorities announced Rodriguez’s charges, which include aggravated assault with a weapon, concealment of a death, abuse of a corpse and abandonment of a corpse. The gruesome details of the case were revealed in a probable cause affidavit, where Rodriguez allegedly admitted to using a “sharp knife” to cut the umbilical cord and fatally cut the baby’s throat.
The police also reported his shocking confession that he “cut the deceased baby’s heart” with a knife, as detailed in the Georgia Gazette. On Nov. 24, police responded to a home on Gramling Street after receiving a 911 call from Rodriguez’s uncle, who allegedly discovered her digging a hole in the backyard.
According to authorities, she intended to bury the baby, but had not done so when officers arrived. “What I can tell you is that when officers arrived at the scene, they found a body that was obviously recognizable as a newborn baby, that that baby was deceased, that that baby was clearly injured.” Marietta Police Public Information Officer Chuck McPhilamy said.
He added that the child “appeared to be a fully formed or full-sized child.” Investigators revealed that Rodríguez had given birth alone in her room earlier that day. After the birth, she allegedly wrapped the baby in blankets, placed him in a grocery bag, and hid the body for approximately six hours before attempting to bury him.
The Marietta Police Department described the ongoing investigation as a multi-agency effort, stating in a news release: “The ongoing multi-agency investigation has gathered evidence leading to new charges. Because this is an active and ongoing investigation and there is no danger to the community related to this case, we do not anticipate any further updates. The research has been delivered to the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office.”
Rodriguez is being held in the Cobb County Jail without bond. Authorities have confirmed that an autopsy will determine the exact cause of the baby’s death. Additional charges may apply depending on results.
The community has been left shocked and grieved by the tragic case, while legal proceedings are expected to shed more light on the circumstances surrounding this devastating incident.