College sophomore charged after dumping newborn in trash

A 20-year-old former college student was arrested and charged in the death of a newborn baby after the baby was found in a trash bin outside of her sorority, police said.

Emile Weaver, a former member of Delta Gamma Theta at Muskingum University in Zanesville, Ohio, allegedly put the newborn girl in a plastic bag while still alive and dumped her in a trashcan, the Columbus Dispatch reported. The infant died of asphyxiation, the coroner said.

Ohio has had a Safe Haven law since 2001, meaning mothers don't face prosecution if they leave a newborn up to 30 days old at a fire station, with police or medical personnel, as long as the child was not abused. The children dropped off anonymously are placed in the care of child services.

Weaver was reportedly eight minutes away from a police station.

Weaver was indicted on charges of aggravated murder, abuse of a corpse and two counts of tampering with evidence. She faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Another Muskingum University student pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after her newborn was found in a trash can on campus in 2001. She told authorities the child was stillborn and ended up serving six months in prison.

Contact Kristen DeSilva at 702-477-3895 or kdesilva@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @kristendesilva