by The tragic case has stunned the local community and drawn attention to a series of disturbing events unfolding inside a property on Oak Avenue, Cadogan Township. After the eviction, the property’s owner uncovered the heartbreaking evidence that Mauthe had concealed for years.
A Grisly Discovery Following Eviction
The house owner, Brent Flanigan, revealed to Pittsburgh NBC affiliate WPXI that he evicted Mauthe due to unpaid rent following the passing of her father, which reportedly cut off her financial support. Flanigan explained:
“After her dad passed, the money stopped coming in. I don’t know that she’s ever physically paid me the rent. She would coax churches into paying the rent.”
Upon entering the home with a worker on September 13 to remove leftover cats, they made the harrowing discovery of the infants’ remains. The first infant was found hidden in a garbage bag inside a bedroom closet, wrapped in towels and multiple garbage bags. Flanigan described the moment:
“The smell was horrendous. We opened it up, and there were towels in there. My worker and I peeled the towels back with a stick, and we could see there was just rotting, decomposing something in there and I knew it wasn’t an animal.”
The coroner confirmed the remains to be those of a deceased infant, triggering a police investigation that uncovered three more infants’ bodies hidden in the attic.
Details from the Police Investigation
The Pennsylvania State Police confirmed the discovery of the fourth deceased baby in the home, deepening the case’s severity. Police records and interviews reveal previously unknown information:
- Mauthe admitted to giving birth to all four children in her bathroom, with the first birth occurring approximately six years ago.
- She claimed the first child died after she passed out on top of the infant.
- The second baby was allegedly stillborn and never made a sound.
- Mauthe admitted to intentionally killing the third child about a year ago after birth, recounting that the infant was left in the toilet, wrapped in a towel until silence.
- The circumstances surrounding the fourth infant remain unclear and were not detailed in the complaint.
Authorities emphasized that Mauthe never sought medical help for any of the babies and did not notify law enforcement following their deaths.
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Legal Proceedings and Next Steps
Jessica Mauthe faces new and serious charges including one count each of criminal homicide and involuntary manslaughter, adding to earlier charges of criminal homicide and abuse of a corpse. She is currently being held without bond at the Armstrong County Jail and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on September 30.
At this stage, autopsies are being conducted by the Indiana County Coroner’s Office on all four infants to clarify causes of death.
Community Impact and Ongoing Investigation
The unsettling case has raised questions about support systems, welfare checks, and the circumstances that led to such a prolonged tragedy remaining hidden. Experts and community members alike are calling for greater awareness surrounding maternal mental health and infant welfare.
For those interested in following developments related to this case and other real-life crime stories, the original report and updates can be found at Law&Crime.
What do you think about this heartbreaking discovery? Have you or someone you know experienced challenges related to maternal health? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below to foster open conversation and awareness.
