Judge drops case against girl who buried newborn

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A judge dropped a juvenile delinquency case Monday, Feb. 20, against a 17-year-old Shorewood girl who buried a newborn baby in her backyard.

Milwaukee County Children's Court Judge Karen Christenson said it was clear that the girl tried to hide last summer's birth, but there is no proof she intentionally kept authorities from determining if the infant was born dead or alive.

Christenson said the girl might have tried to avoid disappointing her mother or upsetting her friends. The girl said her child was conceived in late 2010, just when she turned 16, but she did not suspect pregnancy until the following July.

The girl gave birth in a bathtub, and a month later, her mother found the baby buried inside four bags.

The medical examiner's office said by then, decomposition of the body prevented it from determining whether the boy was born alive. Prosecutor Jennifer Hanson did not comment on the judge's ruling.

Defense lawyer Gilbert Urfer praised the judge for a making a tough call. He said the case was a tragedy, but not all tragedies are crimes.

Tags: wisconsin, crime, courts, family