Newborn's mom charged with child abuse

After giving birth to her son, a Sandy teenager placed the boy in a pile of towels and stuffed him in plastic bags, prosecutors said.

Paramedics discovered the newborn some 45 minutes later in a bathroom, upside down in the bag underneath the towels, according to charges filed in 3rd District Court against the boy's mother, Stephanie Marie DeLuca.

Prosecutors Friday charged DeLuca, 18, with child abuse, a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Meanwhile, a source close to the investigation said DeLuca was being allowed to visit the infant at Primary Children's Medical Center. Utah Department of Human Services spokeswoman Carol Sisco said she could not confirm if that was the case.

"It wouldn't be unusual to let the family visit the child, and it would be done under supervision," Sisco said. "At this point, we haven't taken custody of the baby. That too is normal. We would make that decision when the baby is ready to be released from the hospital."

The infant was breathing on his own and "doing well" Friday night, Sandy police Sgt. Michelle Burnette said.

DeLuca told investigators she delivered the baby on the toilet and then put him in the towels inside the bag and left him there because she thought he was dead, charges stated.

When a firefighter discovered the infant, the boy's body temperature was 92 degrees, and he wasn't breathing on his own, charges stated.

DeLuca originally told paramedics she was not pregnant and that the blood was coming from a cyst, charges stated.

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