Mom Allegedly Brought Dead Newborn 'All Over Town' Before Passing Out In The Mud

A Texas mother allegedly brought her dead son with her around town on a walk until she passed out, and now both she and the child's father are facing criminal charges.

Zachary De La Rosa and Susanne Pierce, the child’s biological parents, were arrested on March 18, according to a press release from the Cameron County Constable Precinct 1.

De La Rosa and Pierce, who both live in the Long Island Village section of Port Isabel — on the southernmost tip of Texas on the Gulf of Mexico — both face injury to a child charges while Pierce is facing one additional count of abuse of a corpse.

The arrest came two days after multiple witnesses contacted the Cameron County Constable Precinct to report that they were concerned for the welfare of a newborn child. 

"Information was received that a child had possibly been born" to the couple and "the reporting party had received conflicting stories about the child's welfare," according to the press release.

Investigators then determined that "the birth of a child had occurred and shortly after birth, the child's whereabouts were unknown.” They state that the search for the child is "still ongoing."

One of the reporting parties told investigators that De La Rosa contacted her earlier this month to return baby clothes to Walmart, claiming that that Pierce had miscarried, according to ValleyCentral. The woman who bought the clothes also contacted police, saying she had allegedly counseled the couple to call 911 when De La Rosa called her in a panic during Pierce's labor, and that she had previously seen Pierce nursing an infant who she counseled them to take to a doctor. They later told her the baby didn't make it.

When police interviewed the couple, according to an affidavit obtained by ValleyCentral, De La Rosa initially confirmed there was a newborn baby but claimed he didn’t know what Pierce had done with him. He allegedly said the infant had stopped breathing and that his attempts to do CPR, which he claimed he did for two hours, were unsuccessful. De La Rosa allegedly claimed that he then passed out and, when he regained consciousness, both Pierce and the baby were gone. 

Pierce allegedly told investigators that she had brought their dead baby for a walk “all over the town.” She allegedly said she brought him, covered in a blanket and under her shirt, to a cemetery and to “see the dolphins and pelicans.” She allegedly said she then got stuck in some mud before also passing out; according to the affidavit, she said that, when she regained consciousness, the baby was gone. She noted that the water was rising at that point.

Pierce is being held on a $60,000 bond while De La Rosa is being held on a $70,000 one. It’s not clear if they have lawyers.