It was just supposed to be a normal day at the office for 26-year-old Kimberly Pappas. But then she suddenly went into labor and gave birth inside her office bathroom in Detroit, Michigan.
She quickly cut the umbilical cord with a nail cutter and hid her newborn son inside a plastic bag, which she then placed inside her desk.
Employees of the company where she works noticed blood in the bathroom and so they called the authorities. Upon checking the premises, they found the newborn inside Kimberly’s desk drawer. He was still warm.
Though they tried to resuscitate the infant, he was pronounced dead almost immediately after being brought to a nearby hospital. The autopsy confirmed that the newborn died 20 to 30 minutes after being placed inside the plastic bag.
Mental illness may have been the cause
According to a report, Pappas told her co-workers that she had suffered a miscarriage.
They didn’t even know she was pregnant.
According to her sister and co-worker Cassandra, Kimberly was in denial that she was pregnant. Unlike other expectant mothers, she rarely talked about it and didn’t make preparations like shopping for newborn clothes, and the like.
During the trial, it was revealed that she had been in therapy to deal with mental health issues. The identity of the father remains unknown. She was charged with homicide.
She pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 9 to 20 years in prison.
Since the verdict of the court, Pappas has expressed intense regret and pain over the crime.
But, despite everything, her family has stood by her saying, they have forgiven her and that they love her no matter what.
Read: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: SIDS Causes and Tips for Prevention
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