A judge found a 15 year old Santa Barbara County girl guilty of second degree murder in the death of her newborn son.
The Santa Maria girl was tried in juvenile court for the death of her son in January. Because of her age, the girl’s name was not released, but she was called Maribel S. Prosecutors say after giving birth, the teen used a knife to slash the baby’s throat.
Police became aware of the situation when the girl showed up at a Santa Maria hospital seeking medical care after giving birth. They searched her family’s apartment, and found the baby’s body wrapped in a plastic bag.
An attorney for the teen unsuccessfully argued that she was trying to cut the umbilical cord and accidently stabbed the baby. But, prosecutors say detectives found evidence on the girl’s cell phone that she had been looking for information on how to induce a miscarriage.