Tampa police and the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office have announced charges against a 19-year-old college student who reportedly murdered her newborn in April.
Brianna Moore, a former University of Tampa student, allegedly gave birth in her dorm room and then suffocated the child before putting her in the trash. Police were called to the dorm after other students reported hearing a baby’s cries and seeing blood, but Moore denied having given birth and blamed the blood on her menstrual cycle. The next day, Moore’s roommates again called police after they found a bloody towel in the trash can; when police unwrapped the towel, they found the dead child inside.
“The investigation began when university safety employees were alerted to a possible miscarriage on campus property,” the Tampa Police Department said in a statement. “Further investigation led to the discovery of the deceased infant, who was later identified as the suspect’s child. An autopsy determined that the infant died as a result of asphyxia and multiple rib fractures. The manner of death was ruled as a homicide.”
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According to Law and Crime, Moore is being charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child, child neglect with great bodily harm, unlawful storage, preservation or transportation of human remains, and failure to report death to medical examiner or law enforcement.
“It breaks my heart to know that this baby girl could still be alive today if this woman had alerted authorities that she needed help. Instead, she took actions that directly lead to the death of her newborn baby. This is a difficult and nuanced case to prosecute, and our community must continue to educate women about the many resources available to them in situations like this one. This baby’s death was avoidable,” said State Attorney Suzy Lopez.
Like all states, Florida has a safe haven law; it allows a new parent to surrender an infant without penalty within the first 30 days after birth, to an on-duty staff member at a hospital, fire station, or emergency medical service provider.
