Additional details emerged on Friday in an Ohio courtroom after an 18-year-old teen was indicted for allegedly burning and burying her newborn infant.
CBS reports that Brooke Skylar Richardson was indicted on charges of gross abuse of a corpse, involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence, and child endangerment, after Warren County authorities found her deceased newborn buried in the backyard Richardson’s family home in Carlisle.
During her indictment on Friday, prosecutors said that exact cause of the baby’s death hadn’t been determined, and it’s possible that it will never be determined. However, prosecutors presented enough evidence for a grand jury to formally indict Richardson.
Carlisle teen Brooke Skylar Richardson indicted for aggravated murder in the death of her infant, prosecutor says https://t.co/nQ9487T7D0 pic.twitter.com/IRvt0jj28F
— WCPO (@WCPO) August 4, 2017
According to court documents, at some point during May 6 and May 7, Richardson gave birth to a baby, born at 38 to 40 weeks into the pregnancy. The baby was so decomposed when found that authorities still haven’t determined the gender. Testing indicated that the infant was born alive, despite initial belief that the baby was born deceased. Authorities found the baby’s charred remains on July 14.
Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell said that numerous people had strong suspicions that Richardson was pregnant. Fornshell that her exact motive remains remains unclear since the former cheerleader hasn’t explained herself, but that she was “pretty obsessed with external appearances and how she appeared to the outside world.”
“You have a situation where she’s a cute recent high school graduate. She was a cheerleader. She was described as a good girl by her attorney, as you heard after the arraignment, and I think that kind of perception is one that Skylar wanted to perpetuate.”
So far, no one else has been charged in the case, but authorities are trying to determine who baby’s father was. Meanwhile, some people who knew Richardson are shocked that she would reportedly dispose of her own child.
“She was a pretty decent girl from what I saw on school. She didn’t really bother anybody. It’s crazy,” said Kasey Isaacs, who went to the same high school as Robinson.
Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.
[Feature Photo:Warren County Sheriff’s Office]
