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Autopsy Done On Baby Found In Trash

MIDDLEPORT — We’re learning more about what happened last week at a home in Schuylkill County where the remains of an infant were found Tuesday. We ...

MIDDLEPORT -- We're learning more about what happened last week at a home in Schuylkill County where the remains of an infant were found Tuesday.

We learned that it was other people who lived in that house who discovered the baby.

According to court papers, they found the little girl after they smelled a strong odor while taking out the trash.

Police tape remains in a trash can outside the home in Blythe Township where a dead baby girl was found in the garbage outside just a day earlier.

Tara Paltanavage, 22, is locked up in Schuylkill County in connection with the death.

According to court papers, Paltanavage claims the baby was stillborn after she gave birth in the bathtub of her home on Winfield Drive.

When she realized the little girl had no pulse and wasn't breathing police say she put the baby in the garbage and brought it outside.

"I don't think it's right what she did. She should have called the authorities right away," said Mary Ann Zimmerman of Middleport.

Housemates said they smelled an odor and found the baby when they took out the trash a week after the birth.

Police responded and later charged Paltanavage.

Police say Paltanavage admitted that she denied to her housemates and boyfriend ever being pregnant.

Neighbor Mary Ann Zimmerman told Newswatch 16 the woman has another child, a little girl named Gemma, age 2.

When she first heard what happened, she thought Gemma was dead.

"And here we found out it was the newborn, which I didn't even know she was pregnant."

We tried speaking with the other people who live with Paltanavage, but they didn't want to speak with us

One of Paltanavage's housemates told us he didn't know she was pregnant and "I'm glad she's in jail now. She can rot there."

My grandson died in our house, and we called the authorities right away," said Zimmerman. "So, I don't think anybody should ever do that."

Paltanavage is charged with endangering the welfare of children, concealing the death of a child, and abuse of corpse.

An autopsy was done Wednesday on the baby girl but the coroner says more tests are planned.

Paltanavage remains locked up in Schuylkill County.

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