Teen arrested 6 months after hiding birth, placing baby in bag, police say

19-year-old arrested on felony child neglect charges

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PALM BAY, Fla. – A 19-year-old girl was arrested Saturday in Palm Bay after she gave birth to a child in a bathroom, then placed the baby in a grocery bag and hid the newborn underneath a sink, according to police.

[PHOTOS:  Teen with baby]

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The baby was found alive.

A police document shows that Breanna LaSean Ross was 18 years old when she gave birth in January. She told police that she hid her pregnancy because previously, her mother and the mother of her baby's father forced her into having an abortion. She thought they would make her do the same with this pregnancy, officials said.

Ross told police that she woke up on Jan. 31 with stomach pains. After struggling to use the restroom, she gave birth to a baby girl, according to police, who said she then cleaned up, put the baby under the sink and passed out.

Emergency personnel took her to Palm Bay Hospital due to excessive bleeding. A doctor told police Ross (mug shot photo below) appeared to be in a "clear state of mind," but was overwhelmed about telling anyone she was pregnant.

Breanna Ross.

The doctor told police that Ross had lost about two pints of blood and could have had clouded judgment or a diminished capacity to make decisions.

Another doctor said the baby weighed 5 pounds, 13.3 ounces. There were concerns the baby's kidneys weren't working correctly, but the doctor was confident she would recover.

Police weren't sure if there was probable cause that Ross's actions rose to the level of a crime. They sent the paperwork to the state attorney's office to see if she should be arrested.

Court records show Ross was charged with one count of felony child neglect on Saturday, about six months after the birth.


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