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Investigators Say Found Fetus In Lancaster Was 27-29 Weeks; Mother Facing Charges

LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) — Police in central Pennsylvania say a 19-year-old faces charges and is being held on $1 million bail after giving birth in a bathroom at her high school and trying to flush the fetus down a toilet.

Lancaster police say Cherlie LaFleur gave birth in the bathroom at McCaskey East High School Tuesday and discarded the male fetus in a trash can after trying to flush it down the toilet. Investigators don't know if it was stillborn or born alive; an autopsy showed it was 27 to 29 weeks.

LaFleur is charged with concealing the death of a child. It wasn't immediately clear if she had an attorney.

A custodian found the fetus around 10 p.m. Tuesday. On Wednesday, detectives conducted interviews and reviewed video footage, identifying LaFleur as the mother.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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