Allentown Mother 'Ripped Out' Newborn Baby, Placed Body Inside Paint Can In Basement, Lehigh County DA Says

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- An Allentown woman has been charged with homicide in the October 2017 death of her newborn son whose body was found inside a paint can. Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin says 30-year-old Ashley Caraballo has been charged with criminal homicide, concealing the death of a child, and abuse of a corpse.

Martin said Wednesday the baby's body was found after she was taken to the hospital and had to undergo surgery for heavy vaginal bleeding.

During the surgery, doctors removed a portion of placental tissue and an uncut portion of an umbilical cord from Caraballo. She also had injuries to her cervix, leading doctors to believe the baby was "ripped out" since she was not fully dilated.

Pennsylvania State Police then launched an investigation into the whereabouts of the newborn, as Caraballo denied to authorities she was pregnant or had given birth.

During their investigation, police searched Carabello's home on Oct. 25, 2017 and found the newborn's body inside a five-gallon paint can in the basement. The baby's body was wrapped in a sheet inside a backpack.

The investigation revealed the baby was born alive and at full term, and the cause of death was one of or a combination of asphyxia, blood loss, and/or hypothermia.

"This case presented complex medical issues which had to be thoroughly investigated in order to determine whether Ms. Caraballo could be charged with murder," Martin said.

Carabello surrendered to authorities Wednesday morning and is being held at Lehigh County Jail without bail.

Authorities say Caraballo's partner, Paul Wilson, was not involved in any of the alleged crimes and is not charged.

The couple has five other children.