A mother from Tennessee is now facing charges of abuse of a corpse for hiding the body of her newborn in a freezer for 27 years. The deed was discovered as the storage unit rental that has the freezer had to go under the hammer in November.
Melissa Sims McCann, 62, was indicted on December 10 for what she did nearly three decades ago. According to the press release from the Tennessee District Attorney's office, McCann rented the unit since March 1994 specifically for storing her newborn's body.
The police said that they were called into the Watts N Storage facility on November 13 following reports of unusual content in one of the units. At first, the authorities were unsure if the corpse was human but further tests from the medical examiner proved that it was an infant's body.
'Give the Baby a Voice'
The Tullahoma Police Department discovered McCann's name of facility's records and she was continuously renting the unit for the last three decades. The cops believe that the baby, whose gender was not revealed, was just days old though they have yet to determine the exact cause of death. McCann gave birth to the baby in her early 30s.
The authorities are also not sure if they could still do a DNA test on the decomposing body. Lawyers for McCann, on the other hand, have not yet talked to the press.
Following McCann's arraignment on December 17, the police said they will file additional charges depending on other evidence that they may discover during the investigation. The authorities are appealing for any information about this case to help with its resolution.
Craig Northcott of the 14th Judicial District said that this was an unusual case but they are determined to resolve what happened to "give the baby a voice." However, investigations could be further stalled since it's the Christmas season.
In Tennessee, abuse of a corpse is considered a Class E felony, which may be punishable by up to six years in prison with a fine of up to $30,000.
Ohio Mom Convicted of Abuse of Corpse Released
Meanwhile in Ohio, a mother who was convicted of abuse of corpse in 2019 has been released from probation and turned over to community control. Brooke Skylar Richardson spent 14 months in jail and was then under probation for three years but the judge believes that she has done her part and did not break any rules during her probation.
In 2017, Richardson was 18 years old when she had her baby in secret and buried the baby girl in their backyard days after the birth. The baby's paternal grandmother Tracy Johnson, however, asked the judge not to release Richardson because she has not been remorseful of her actions. She said her son, the baby's father, has lost his faith in the justice system.
Richardson, however, testified in court that she is sorry for "everything I have put everyone through." She also said that she will continue with her mental health treatment. Her lawyers also said that Richardson worked hard to earn a college degree during her probation and will pursue law.
