Girls who become pregnant as teenagers often do not have access to resources that would help them successfully parent and raise their babies, such as an income or supportive parents. Indeed, some teen girls may even be frightened of telling their families, and may instead make missteps when it comes to handling the pregnancy on their own. One Washington teenager is currently charged with manslaughter among other things in relation to the death of her baby.
A sad discovery
In Oct. 2020, police officers discovered a deceased newborn baby. Unfortunately, the remains were found in a trashcan. According to officials, the mother — who was only 17 at the time of the baby’s birth — lived at the residence where the baby boy was found.
An autopsy of the newborn determined that his death was likely a homicide. With this and additional information, police arrested the teenage girl for her alleged involvement. In total she is facing three very serious criminal charges:
- First degree aggravated manslaughter
- Second degree endangering the welfare of a child
- Second degree desecrating human remains
While virtually all teenagers in Washington will make some kind of mistake along the path to adulthood, some are faced with much more serious situations. When a teenager is criminally charged, minimizing the potential consequences is almost always a priority. Learning more about juvenile law and how youthful offenders are treated in the state of Washington is normally a good place for defendants and their families to start this process.