13-year-old Charged in Baby's Death

A Cobb County teenager has been charged in the death of her newborn baby found buried in a shoebox Wednesday, police told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The 13-year-old was arrested Thursday night at her home and charged with felony murder, first-degree cruelty to a child, and concealing a death, said Cobb County Police spokesman Officer Mike Bowman.

The Cobb County Medical Examiner’s office will determine the cause of death and whether the infant was dead or alive when it was placed in the box and covered with leaves.

A preliminary autopsy showed no trauma to the infant.

Police believe the girl had the child in her bedroom eary Tuesday morning. The baby may have been dead when she woke up, according to the AJC. It's unclear whether the girl's parents knew she was pregnant.

The baby was found in the 6600 block of Mableton Parkway, near the Sierra Forest Apartments in Mableton.

Police responded Wednesday to a report that a child had been born and later buried in the wooded area behind one of the buildings in the apartment complex. Further investigation revealed the location of the deceased infant child that appeared to have been carried to full term

Other teens are being investigated about what role they may have played in concealing the body of the baby.

The teen, who is being charged as an adult, remains in custody, although it is unclear where she is being held. According to WSB, the 14-year-old father of the child — a classmate of the mother — has not been charged but is being investigated.

Georgia has a Safe Haven law which allows mothers to leave newborn babies with an employee of a medical facility without facing criminal charges.