Des Moines Register
05-23-06
Mother of dumped baby faces 30 days in jail
Investigators say there is no way of proving whether the child was born alive.
By JARED STRONG
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
A 22-year-old recent Iowa State University graduate who admittedly dumped a
newborn child in rural Audubon County last year will likely face just 30 days in jail
on a simple misdemeanor charge, law enforcement officials said Monday.
Investigators acted on an anonymous tip in December and collected a DNA
sample from Kristen Stoberl of Ames. Results came back Monday that
confirmed Stoberl was the mother, Audubon County Sheriff David Beane said.
Stoberl went to sheriff's office with her parents two days later and admitted she
gave birth to a stillborn child alone in a bathtub at her parents' Audubon home in
early September and then disposed of it about 10 miles away in an isolated area.
Partial infant remains were found by trappers near Kimballton in November.
Beane said the child had no clothing and was not buried.
Stoberl's parents were at work at the time of the birth. Stoberl did not seek
medical help before or after the child's birth, Beane said.
Tests completed by the Iowa State Medical Examiner's Office concluded the
developmental age of the bones ranged from a full-term fetus to a 1-month-old
infant. Investigators are unable to determine if the child was born alive, Beane
said.
"The only thing that was left was bones. There's no internal organs," he said.
Audubon County Attorney Francine O'Brien Andersen refused to comment on
possible charges against Stoberl. Beane said communication with Andersen led
him to believe the woman will likely face one charge of illegal disposal of a body,
which carries jail time and up to a $500 fine.
Stoberl declined to comment when contacted Monday.
O'Brien said more charges are possible if evidence proves Stoberl lied about the
child being stillborn.
Stoberl told no one of her pregnancy, not even the father, who she told officials is
a 24-year-old recent ISU graduate.
Beane said the two met as college freshmen and had sex occasionally over the
past few years. The alleged father told officials he had no knowledge of the
pregnancy.
DNA tests to confirm paternity are pending.
Safe haven
WHAT: Iowa has a law that allows parents or a person who has a parent's
authorization to leave an infant up to 14 days old at a hospital or health care
facility without fear of prosecution for abandonment. The child must be
unharmed, with no signs of abuse.
WHERE: Safe havens include hospitals, residential care facilities, nursing homes
or intermediate care facilities for mental illness.
SAFE-HAVEN FACILITY WORKERS:
• Must notify the Department of Human Services as soon as possible that an
infant has been taken under the Safe Haven Act.
• May ask for, but not require, the name of the parent and/or medical histories of
the parents or infant.
• May perform reasonable acts to protect the physical health and safety of the
child without liability or omissions made in good faith.
• Must submit the certificate of birth.
• Must keep confidential any information received while taking a child under the
Safe Haven Act.
• May testify at any court hearing concerning the infant.
PARENTS:
• May leave the infant at a hospital or health care facility.
• May immediately contact the facility or call 911 to be sure that someone on duty
is aware that an infant has been left there.