4 Dead Babies Found in Bags in a Woman’s Home in Pennsylvania

The eviction of a Pennsylvania woman led police to a gruesome discovery.

In August, landlord Brent Flanigan evicted tenant Jessica Mauthe, 39, from her rental home in Cadogan Township for non-payment, according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and ABC affiliate WTAE. On Saturday, Sept. 13, Flanigan went into the unit to clean up, when he discovered a strong odor emanating from a trash bag in a closet, the Post-Gazette reported, citing a criminal complaint.

In the closet, he found a dead baby, and he immediately called the police, Flanigan told WTAE.

After a search of the vacant residence, authorities said they found two more tote bags in the attic, each containing another dead infant, according to WTAE and the Post-Gazette. 

The same day of the gruesome discovery, Mauthe was charged with criminal homicide and abuse of a corpse, according to Pennsylvania State Police (PSP).

Less than a week later, police announced a shocking update. On Thursday, Sept. 18, PSP confirmed that another set of infant remains was discovered, bringing the total of dead infants in Mauthe’s former residence to four, according to WTAE and CBS News.

PSP did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Saturday, Sept. 20.

While speaking with investigators, Mauthe — a mother of two boys, per CBS Pittsburgh — admitted to hiding the bodies of three of the infants shortly after giving birth to them in her home, according to a criminal complaint obtained by CBS News and the Post-Gazette.

Per the complaint, she told authorities that about six years ago, she gave birth in the bathroom and passed out after hearing the newborn “whimpering,” CBS News reported. When she came to, the baby was dead, and she hid its body. 

Mauthe also told authorities that she gave birth to two other babies, whose remains she put in garbage bags, then tote bags, which she then placed in the home, according to the Post-Gazette. One of them died after she allegedly wrapped it in a towel.

“She could hear the child making several noises,” police said of one of the infants, per the Post-Gazette. “Mauthe removed the child from the toilet, wrapped a towel around the infant’s entire body, where it remained until it stopped making noises.”

Mauthe allegedly never sought medical attention for any of the infants and never notified anyone, CBS News reported, citing investigators.

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Mauthe has two sons, ages 6 and 8, and a husband, who is currently incarcerated, according to CBS Pittsburgh. The Cadogan Township rental home where the baby remains were discovered was her childhood home. Mauthe took over the lease after her father died, per the Pittsburgh outlet.

Mauthe is now facing one count of criminal homicide, one count of involuntary manslaughter, four counts of concealing the death of a child and four counts of abuse of a corpse, CBS News reported, citing state police.

She is being held in the Armstrong County Jail, and was denied bail, CBS News reported. The investigation is ongoing.