Woman Arrested After Putting Newborn Baby in Trash, Taking the Trash to the Curb

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Aug 13, 2014   |   4:05PM   |   Middleport, PA

A 22-year-old Pennsylvania woman has been charged with concealing the death of a child after an infant girl was found dead early Tuesday morning in a trash bag at 189 Winfield Drive in Middleport.

The woman reportedly gave birth to the newborn baby, though the infant was dead, placed the baby in a trash bag and then placing the bag in the trash can at the curb. Neighbors eventually found the dead infant when they noticed a foul odor emanating from the trash can.

Tara Lynne Paltanavage was charged by state police and jailed in Schuylkill County Prison for lack of $250,000 bail. She is charged with misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of children, concealing the death of a child and abuse of a corpse, court records show.

taraPaltanavage is not charged in the death of her child. State police say the investigation is continuing pending autopsy results. Paltanavage was arraigned Tuesday morning before Schuylkill County district Judge David Plachko.

Kayla Stoops is still shaken up after making the horrific discovery of the baby’s body.

“It was really hard to find it,” she said as she was holding back tears. “It’s heartbreaking!”

Here’s more on this tragic story:

We’re learning more about what happened last week at a home in Schuylkill County where the remains of an infant were found Tuesday. We learned that it was other people who lived in that house who discovered the baby.

According to court papers, they found the little girl after they smelled a strong odor while taking out the trash. Police tape remains in a trash can outside the home in Blythe Township where a dead baby girl was found in the garbage outside just a day earlier.

Tara Paltanavage, 22, is locked up in Schuylkill County in connection with the death.

According to court papers, Paltanavage claims the baby was stillborn after she gave birth in the bathtub of her home on Winfield Drive. When she realized the little girl had no pulse and wasn’t breathing police say she put the baby in the garbage and brought it outside.

“I don’t think it’s right what she did. She should have called the authorities right away,” said Mary Ann Zimmerman of Middleport.

Housemates said they smelled an odor and found the baby when they took out the trash a week after the birth.

Police responded and later charged Paltanavage. Police say Paltanavage admitted that she denied to her housemates and boyfriend ever being pregnant.

Neighbor Mary Ann Zimmerman told Newswatch 16 the woman has another child, a little girl named Gemma, age 2.