Woman Kills Her Newborn Child By Drowning the Baby in a Bathtub

State   |   Micaiah Bilger   |   Jun 27, 2018   |   12:34PM   |   Fargo, ND

A North Dakota woman is facing murder charges after she allegedly drowned her newborn child in a bathtub in May.

WDAY 6 ABC reports Ginny Rose Lubitz, 36, of West Fargo, told police she gave birth in her bathtub on May 5 and thought the baby was dead because the infant was not breathing. She also appears to have been abusing drugs while pregnant, according to court documents.

Fargo police said they received a call from one of Lubitz’s friends about a deceased newborn on the evening of May 5.

Two friends told police they found Lubitz in the bathroom, naked and surrounded by blood, and her newborn baby face down in the tub.

Here’s more from the local news:

That friend and another friend told police they came to the home that night and found Lubitz locked in the bathroom and she initially didn’t want them to come in. After Lubitz unlocked the door and they pushed their way into the bathroom, they found Lubitz lying naked on the floor, with her head by the door and feet by the bathtub, court documents stated.

When one of the friends suggested calling for an ambulance, Lubitz said she couldn’t afford it and that she didn’t want them to see what she did, court documents said.

The friends could see Lubitz had given birth because the umbilical cord was visible. When asked where the baby was, Lubitz nodded toward the bathtub where the friends found the newborn face down in about an inch of water, court documents said.

Lubitz told one friend not to bother with doing CPR and that the baby never had any respirations, court documents said.

However, an autopsy found indications of “an apparent live birth” and listed the cause of death as “drowning from being placed face down in the bathtub,” according to court documents. A toxicology also report found the baby had “measurable levels” of amphetamine and methamphetamine in his/her body, authorities said.

Lubitz told police that she learned she was pregnant last fall and initially planed to have an abortion, according to court documents. However, she said she later thought she had a miscarriage. She said she realized she was still pregnant in April.

Authorities said on May 5, Lubitz related that she began experiencing stomach and bowel pain and decided to take a bath; she said she did not realize she was in labor and fell asleep in the bathtub.

The report continues:

She told police that when she awoke, her stomach felt tight. She tried to start the water for a new bath, and as she leaned her stomach on the edge of the tub, she gave birth within a few seconds, court documents said.

Lubitz told police she found scissors and cut the umbilical cord before trying to call 911, but wasn’t able to manipulate the phone to get to the dial function. She said she did not remember anything else she did after that, according to court documents.

Lubitz is charged with murder and attempted murder.

Infanticide, like abortion, is a horrific problem across the world. Last week, a baby in South Africa was rescued from a pit toilet where the mother had thrown the infant, thinking the baby was dead.

In America, all 50 states have safe haven laws to protect babies from abandonment and infanticide. Save haven laws allow mothers in crisis to leave their newborns in a safe environment, such as a hospital or fire station, without questions or repercussions as long as there are no signs of abuse.

If you or someone you know would like more information about relinquishing a newborn child, please call 1-866-99BABY1 or go to www.SafeHavenLaw.com.