A Bronx woman is facing manslaughter charges and more after her mother discovered her dying newborn in a laundry bag. On January 30, authorities arrested Lasasha Gouldbourne, 31, in relation to an incident that occurred months prior, the New York Daily News reported.
Gouldbourne reportedly gave birth to a premature baby girl on September 1 in the bathroom of a friend’s home in Allerton. Allegedly, she placed the newborn in a laundry bag along with her clothing and brought the bag to her mother’s residence nearby.
“She said something like, ‘Be careful with that’ and left,” police told the New York Daily News.
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Gouldbourne’s mother called 911 upon discovering the newborn.
Later, Gouldbourne’s mother discovered the newborn unconscious inside the laundry bag. She called 911, and first responders took the baby girl to a nearby hospital, the Daily News reported. Sadly, though, the infant died.
She was actually pregnant with twins.
Gouldbourne was apprehended by police shortly after her mother found the newborn in the laundry bag. After she was arrested, she reportedly complained of pain and was taken to a hospital. She delivered a baby boy via an emergency C-section at Montefiore Medical Center, police said.
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The mother spent three months hospitalized under psychiatric care.
After giving birth to the twins, Gouldbourne was hospitalized under psychiatric care for three months. She was released earlier this week when police took her into custody. Previously, Gouldbourne had four children taken away from her. Police described her as an “emotionally disturbed person,” News 12 reported.
The newborn’s cause of death has been determined.
Following Gouldbourne’s arrest, the city medical examiner’s office offered details on the baby girl’s cause of death, per New York Daily News. The medical examiner determined the newborn died from asphyxiation due to smothering. Additionally, the manner of death has been declared a homicide.
Gouldbourne faces multiple charges.
Currently, Gouldbourne faces three charges stemming from the death of her newborn daughter. They include criminally negligent homicide, assault, and acting in a manner injurious to a child. As of this writing, Gouldbourne does not have a court date set.
