Florida college student, 20, gave birth in toilet; suspected of letting her newborn baby die, deputies say

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida college student has been detained and is being investigated in the death of her newborn baby. 

The Flagler County Sheriff's office is investigating the death of a newborn baby – believing the baby's 20-year-old mother let her baby die and hid the baby's body in a duffle bag. 

Secretly pregnant

What we know:

Deputies responded to a call received around 4 a.m., March 6 regarding a welfare check on Anne Mae Demegillo, 20, of Palm Coast. 

The caller said Demegillo sent her messages on social media saying she had been secretly pregnant and had given birth at home. The message to the caller indicated that Demegillo's baby was born alive and crying, but that Demegillo did something to the baby, the sheriff's office said. 

Demegillo claimed she didn't know she was pregnant until she had given birth, deputies said. She said she was having severe abdominal pain, around 3 a.m., March 5, before giving birth, the sheriff's office said. Demegillo claimed the baby was born over 24 hours ago, deputies said. 

Deputies said the investigation shows no one else was aware she was pregnant. 

Watch: Full press conference

Delivered a baby in the toilet

Deputies responded to a Palm Coast home, they met with Demegillo, who Chief Deputy Joseph Barile said was hesitant to speak with deputies at first. 

Demegillo told deputies she delivered a baby girl in the toilet.

The baby girl weighed approximately 3 pounds and six ounces and was 18.7 inches long. 

When asked how Demegillo acted, Barile said, "Oddly calm. … I watched some of the interview and I didn't see any remorse." 

Deputies: Woman hid the baby in her closet, went to school

The woman initially said the baby was crying, but then when she walked away, the baby stopped crying and moving. Later, she claimed she watched the child in the toilet until the child stopped breathing and moving, Barile said. 

"At that point, she hid the baby in a duffle bag in a closet and went about her normal daily routine," Barile said. 

 Demegillo went to her college, did a performance at a theater in New Smyrna Beach, and then returned home – around 10 p.m. – to bury the infant, deputies said. She buried the child in a shallow grave – about four to five inches deep – in the backyard, Barile said. The baby was wrapped in a towel, deputies said. 

It appeared the baby died as a result of being abandoned, Barile confirmed. The baby's cause of death is still to be determined by the medical examiner. 

"This is a heartbreaking tragedy for our community, for the family involved, and an emotionally difficult case for our team," said Sheriff Rick Staly. "I want to remind our community, especially our expectant mothers: Florida law allows you to bring a child at birth to a local fire station, hospital or law enforcement agency and surrender the child. 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. May God bless this infant and hold and comfort the baby in his loving hands with the love the baby never received on earth."

Florida Safe Haven Law

In Florida, people can surrender a child up to 30 days old to hospitals, fire stations or EMS providers, police stations, by calling 911 or in a Safe Haven Baby Box. 

People can utilize Safe Haven Baby Boxes – a safe and legal option for parents in crisis who are unable to care for their infant – to place the child in a climate-controlled box at secure locations. This allows for complete anonymity. A 24-hour crisis hotline is also available to answer any questions at 1-866-99BABY1. 

Florida currently has 11 Safe Haven Baby Boxes located at various fire departments throughout the state: 

• Crestview Fire Station 1: 321 Woodruff Avenue, Crestview
• Chiefland Fire Department: 16 NE 1st Street, Chiefland
• Newberry Fire Station #28: 310 NW 250th Street, Newberry
• Bronson Fire Department: 655 North Hathaway Avenue, Bronson
• Marion County Fire Station #2: 2189 NE 180th Lane, Citra
• MLK First Responder Campus: 505 NW MLK Jr. Avenue, Ocala
• Marion County Fire Rescue: 1400 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala
• Citrus County Fire Rescue: 800 N Rock Crusher Road, Crystal River
• Hernando County Fire Department: 3445 Bob Hartung Court, Spring Hill
• Collier County EMS: 790 Logan Boulevard, North Naples
• Palm Coast Fire Department: 1250 Belle Terre Parkway, Palm Coast

Detained and facing charges

What's next:

Demegillo is currently detained and is facing aggravated manslaughter of a child charges. Deputies said Demegillo is facing manslaughter charges – not murder at this time – due to the investigation showing that the baby was born and left and that Demegillo didn't inflict harm upon the baby.

 The investigation is ongoing.  

What you can do:

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Flagler County Sheriff's office at 386-313-4911.