A woman from Pennsylvania has been charged after authorities discovered the remains of four infants in her home. Jessica Marie Maute, 39, was taken into custody following a call she made to police regarding her residence near Ford City, located about 40 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.
The landlord, Brent Flanigan, reported having evicted Maute on August 14 due to unpaid rent. While cleaning the property, he stumbled upon a garbage bag in a closet that contained something wrapped in a towel emitting a foul odor, as noted in a Thursday arrest affidavit.
Authorities then conducted a search of the house, uncovering the bodies of three additional infants in the attic, all wrapped in towels and plastic bags, according to police.
Neighbor Carmen Felix shared her shock with local news, stating, “No one believed it. It’s just evil. How could someone do that?” She added that a nurse living nearby was so disturbed by the news that she struggled to go to work.
About a year prior, Maute reportedly told investigators about giving birth to a child who made some noise before passing away. According to the affidavit, she mentioned holding her breath after the newborn’s birth and later finding the baby unresponsive beneath her when she woke up.
Maute now faces multiple charges, including criminal homicide, involuntary manslaughter, and abuse of a corpse. She is currently being held at the Armstrong County Jail without bail, with a preliminary hearing set for next week.
