An Alabama mom was arrested after the body of her newborn baby was found abandoned in a dumpster located behind a convenience store. Cindy Nicole Crow, aged 36, is currently in custody with a bond set at $200,000 after authorities received a tip to inspect the trash container behind the Wally World Mini Mart in Alabama.
She is charged with one count of abuse of a corpse related to the incident, which law enforcement became aware of following a report from a concerned family member. On Monday, the concerned family member asked police in Decatur to do a wellness check on Crow, who was believed to be eight months pregnant.
Grim Discovery
The relative informed the authorities that she suspected Crow had given birth but was worried about the baby's whereabouts. When investigators arrived on Tuesday, they discovered the lifeless body of a newborn girl inside a trash bag in the dumpster on the store's premises, concealed beneath several other bags of garbage.
The infant's remains were then transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Huntsville for a post-mortem examination to assist in ascertaining the cause of death.
A press release from the Decatur police provided a detailed account of the alleged sequence of events, triggering a comprehensive investigation.
The release also included a photograph of the accused, accompanied by the statement that "the above defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty."
The statement, provided by the department Thursday, states: "On October 16, 2023, officers with the Decatur Police Department were contacted and asked to check the well-being of 36-year-old Cindy Nicole Crow.
"[She] was believed to have recently given birth," officers added.
As a result of the information provided, the Criminal Investigation Division of the department took charge of the investigation. It was determined that Crow had been pregnant as early as February 2023.
The officers' investigation also revealed that the defendant had "recently given birth," although the statement did not specify the source of that information. At this point, the newborn was unaccounted for, prompting the law enforcement officials to continue their inquiry.
"As the investigation continued," cops wrote, "information was received that the dumpster on the property of Wally World Mini Mart, located at 2505 Point Mallard Drive... needed to be searched."
Arrested After Two Days
On Wednesday, two days after the grim discovery, law enforcement officials revealed that Crow was promptly located and arrested by investigators at her home in Decatur, located just a mile away from the mini-mart.
Crow was transported to the Morgan County Jail, where she was booked on a felony charge of abuse of a corpse. Law enforcement is currently conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the infant's death.
While not confirming that the case is being treated as a homicide, the department emphasized that the investigation into Crow and her child's death is ongoing.
They stated that "additional criminal charges are likely forthcoming as more evidence is obtained." Police also noted that they are awaiting the final results from the infant's autopsy, which is being conducted by the Alabama Department of Forensic Science.
According to reports from the local outlet WAFF-48, it appears that police were alerted to the incident by Crow's sister.
Crow's sister reportedly mentioned that on Monday, as Crow was leaving her home, she observed a large white trash bag on the back floorboard of the car Crow was driving.
The family member shared that she tried to check the bag but was told by Crow to stay away from it. Crow then proceeded to visit their aunt's house.
While Crow was away, her sister decided to check the contents of the trash bag and reportedly found a collection of bloody feminine products, which heightened her suspicions.
Upon arriving at her aunt's home, she realized that the trash bag was no longer in the car. This led her to contact the authorities.
The investigation into the infant's death is ongoing, and Crow remains incarcerated. As of Sunday, records indicate that she has not posted bail.
