Iowa Daycare Worker Charged with Murder After Newborn Found Dead in Trash

A 20-year-old daycare worker in Iowa has been charged with first-degree murder after her newborn baby was discovered dead in a trash can at the facility where she worked. Police identified the suspect as Stephanie Ubaldo, an employee at Acorns and Oaks Christian Daycare in Perry.

Dallas County Emergency Medical Services received a call from the daycare around 5 p.m. on Tuesday regarding a woman experiencing vaginal bleeding. Ubaldo, who was the subject of the call, was transported to a local hospital. Later that evening, at approximately 6:30 p.m., authorities received a subsequent call from the daycare reporting the discovery of a deceased infant.

According to police statements, Ubaldo confessed to delivering the baby in the daycare's bathroom. She further stated that she intentionally caused injuries to the infant's face in an effort to stop it from crying. Investigators found the baby in a garbage bag. Perry Police Chief Jim Archer noted that first-degree murder is a Class A felony, carrying a maximum penalty of life in prison without parole.

Ubaldo had not informed anyone of her pregnancy. Reports indicate she had planned to return to work but was prevented from doing so by the bleeding.

Authorities highlighted that Iowa, like all U.S. states, has a Safe Haven Act. This law provides options for parents who wish to voluntarily release custody of a newborn infant without facing legal repercussions. Police emphasized that a simple and question-free option existed for Ubaldo to surrender the baby, acknowledging the extreme difficulty of such situations, particularly for young individuals in vulnerable states.