Pennsylvania Woman Charged After Bodies of Infants Found

A woman in Pennsylvania has been charged after police discovered the remains of four infants in her home. Jessica Marie Maute, 39, was arrested after she called the police to her residence located about 40 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, near Ford City.

The situation came to light when her landlord, Brent Flanigan, evicted her for not paying rent on August 14. While cleaning the house, he stumbled upon a garbage bag in the closet that contained a foul-smelling towel, according to the affidavit released on Thursday.

Authorities revealed that in addition to the body found in the closet, three more infant remains were discovered wrapped in towels and plastic bags in the attic.

Neighbors expressed their shock at the revelations. Carmen Felix, a local resident, said, “No one believed it. It’s just evil… How could someone do this?” She mentioned a neighbor who is a nurse and is struggling to cope with the news.

Earlier this year, an investigation noted that Maute had given birth to a child that made sounds before she seemingly restrained it, leading to its death. In a statement to authorities, she claimed that when she woke up, the baby was beneath her and not breathing.

Jessica Maute now faces multiple charges including criminal murder, involuntary manslaughter, and abuse of a corpse. She is currently being held at Armstrong County Jail without bail. A preliminary hearing is set for next week.