In a shocking incident, a young couple from Pennsylvania, aged 19 and 20, have been apprehended on charges of killing their newborn son. The baby, who was less than a day old, was allegedly left to bleed to death before his body was discarded from a second-story window. The accused, Joshua Coleman Wooters and Emily Jane Dickinson, were arrested this week and face multiple charges, including criminal homicide, conspiracy, concealing the death of an infant, and abuse of a corpse, according to court records.
The Pennsylvania State Police responded to reports of a deceased male infant found near the intersection of Lincoln Way and North 2nd Street in McConnellsburg Borough, Pennsylvania, approximately 160 miles west of Philadelphia, on the morning of March 11. Upon arrival, first responders discovered the newborn approximately 20 feet north of the intersection. A bloodstained mattress, a placenta, and several disposable items were also found in a nearby trash bag.
The Fulton County Coroner’s Office determined that the baby had been born less than 24 hours prior, with a gestational age of around 36 or 37 weeks. An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was severe blood loss from the umbilical stump. During the investigation, a trooper interviewed Wooters, who denied any knowledge of the baby.
The investigation led authorities to the apartment of Wooters and Dickinson, which had a second-story window overlooking the area where the baby was found. Despite initial denials, Wooters eventually admitted that the baby was his and Dickinson’s. He explained that Dickinson had only informed him of her pregnancy in February and that he felt too young to be a father.
According to Wooters, Dickinson cut the umbilical cord with a kitchen knife without clamping it, picked up the baby, and threw him out of the bathroom window. Wooters admitted to discarding the mattress and other items from the same window after witnessing the incident. Neither of them called 911.
In an interview with her attorney present, Dickinson claimed that she believed the baby had died shortly after she cut the umbilical cord. She also stated that she thought she was hallucinating due to blood loss when she saw the baby moving and crying. Despite being a certified nursing assistant, Dickinson admitted that she did not attempt to perform CPR on her newborn.
DNA tests confirmed that the deceased infant was the child of Wooters and Dickinson. A search of Dickinson’s phone revealed internet searches related to pregnancy, including “abortion law” and “home birth how long does the bleeding last.” The couple is currently being held in the Bedford County Jail without bond, as they face potential life sentences.