Armstrong County woman to stand trial after 4 dead babies found in home

The woman accused of having the partially decomposed remains of four babies hidden inside her home in Armstrong County will stand trial. 

Jessica Mauthe is accused of killing her own children shortly after they were born. State police testified in her preliminary hearing that she explained why she hid the babies' deaths the way she did. Her defense attorney says it could have been anything from her mental health state to her believing she was having just a bad dream. 

Clad in an orange prison jumpsuit, the woman, who state police say gave birth to four children in the toilet of her Oak Avenue home then took their lives, said nothing after her preliminary hearing in front of an Armstrong County district magistrate.

"This is the beginning of a very long process and I would just ask people not to make assumptions before all the evidence is in," said Mauthe's defense attorney Chuck Pascal. 

During the proceeding, state police investigators testified that Mauthe admitted to giving birth to four children, termed babies A, B, C, and D, over six years. Police said each one would end up stuffed in plastic totes wrapped in towels and plastic bags. One child was put in a bucket.

"Absolutely, it's a tough case," Pascal said. 

State police investigators say Mauthe told them some of the babies were born alive, while others fell into the toilet and made no sounds. As to why she didn't report the births, in one instance, she allegedly told troopers she didn't want to get in trouble because she was on suboxone, an anti-addiction drug she didn't have a prescription for. 

"As part of the defense, we are going to look at every possible option," Pascal said.

Pascal didn't call any witnesses but told the court that his client may have been in a dream state brought about by the pain and trauma of childbirth.

"There was no evidence introduced today about any cause of death, about whether any baby was alive, any scientific evidence. Therefore, you've got to question anything that Miss Mauthe may have said, whether it was accurate or not. She may not know."

Mauthe remains in the Armstrong County Jail facing multiple charges, including criminal homicide. She's been denied bond. There's no word on a trial date.