Nationwide — Stephanie Ubaldo, a 20-year-old woman from Perry, Iowa, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder after police found a newborn girl dead inside a trash container at a local child care center where she works. Investigators said she gave birth at the facility before allegedly injuring the baby and placing her inside a trash bag.
Emergency medical crews were called to Acorns & Oaks Child Care around 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, after Ubaldo reportedly began experiencing vaginal bleeding. She was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Later that evening, around 6:22 p.m., police received a report that a premature infant might be inside a trash container at the center. Officers arrived about 10 minutes later and found the baby’s body inside a trash bag.
According to People, court records identified the newborn as a fully developed baby girl with her umbilical cord still attached. Investigators also found evidence of head injuries. Police said the infant was not enrolled at Acorns & Oaks and was not a child receiving care at the facility. The circumstances surrounding the baby’s death led investigators to question Ubaldo about what happened before she was taken to the hospital.
Ubaldo reportedly told investigators that she delivered the baby in a bathroom at the child care center. She allegedly planned to return to work after the delivery, but the bleeding prevented her from doing so. The complaint further alleges that she intentionally injured the baby’s face in an attempt to stop the newborn from crying.
Authorities arrested Ubaldo on Thursday, Sept. 17. She remained in custody at the Dallas County Jail while facing the first-degree murder charge. Police have not said that the newborn was ever placed in the care of the facility. Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the delivery, the injuries and the baby’s death.
The Perry Police Department also highlighted Iowa’s Safe Haven law following the arrest. The law allows parents or authorized individuals to safely surrender an infant up to 90 days old at designated locations without prosecution for abandonment. These include hospitals, health care facilities, staffed fire stations, adoption service providers and approved newborn safety devices such as Safe Haven Baby Boxes. Police are asking anyone with information about the case to contact the department.