Calif. woman charged with murder, hid newborn who died, say cops

(CBS/KOVR) WHITMORE, Calif., - A 23-year-old Northern California woman is charged with murder after she allegedly gave birth to a baby girl in secret, then kept the infant hidden and unfed until she died four days later.

According to the Shasta County Sheriff's Office, Jessica Nicole Bradford kept her pregnancy hidden from everyone - including her family and her boyfriend of three years. She gave birth at Julian Academy, the school for troubled teens where she worked, sometime around Sept. 4.

Bradford said she neglected to care for the baby and kept her in a vacant residence on campus, the sheriff's office said.

According to CBS affiliate KOVR in Sacramento, Bradford told a detective she tried to provide the baby some water when the baby cried, but did not name the little girl so there was no personal attachment.

After the baby's died, Bradford reportedly kept the body hidden in her room in a laundry basket for about a month and a half until it was spotted by another staff member. According to the sheriff's office, Bradford had moved the baby into a utility closet last Friday, where it was finally located by school staff.

The baby was in a mummified state of decomposition but was fully developed and full term, the sheriff's office said.

Bradford was arrested on Sunday and was in custody at the Shasta County Jail on $1 million bail.