A Florida college student accused of watching her newborn daughter drown in a toilet allegedly had photos of Casey Anthony on her phone, according to police. Anne Mae Demegillo, 20, of Palm Coast, was arrested on March 6 for aggravated manslaughter after her newborn died on March 5. She was initially released on $250,000 bond, but a grand jury indicted her on Monday on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and concealing the death.
Demegillo turned herself in at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and is now in custody without bond pending a court hearing, the Flagler County Sheriff's Office announced. During the investigation, detectives found that Demegillo had used her phone to search for terms such as 'newborn premature babies,' 'Palm Coast OBGYN' and 'foods to decrease fertility.'
Investigators also discovered that her phone held images of Casey Anthony, who was acquitted of murdering her two-year-old daughter Caylee in a high-profile trial. Authorities say Demegillo also had numerous photos of newborn babies on her phone, which may indicate she was researching topics related to child death investigations, according to Fox13.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said: 'This is one of those tragic cases that shock you to your core that a mother would allow a newborn to die because the newborn was a distraction to her life. It’s hard to comprehend how a mother would choose to watch their infant drown instead of lifting the baby out of the toilet.'
Deputies say Demegillo led them to a shallow backyard grave after giving birth and watching her newborn daughter, weighing 3 pounds 6 ounces, die. She allegedly stored the baby in a duffel bag in her closet before performing at a theatre.
