Iowa Couple Arrested For Allegedly Drowning Newborn At Home After Mother Asked For 'Meth' To Ease Childbirth Pain
Dec. 9 2022, Published 4:30 p.m. ET
An Iowa couple has been charged with an unthinkable and disturbing crime. Brandon Thoma and Taylor Blaha were arrested after they allegedly drowned their newborn daughter in the bathtub moments after she was delivered at the couple's home. The mother had allegedly asked for "meth" to ease her pain from childbirth, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Thoma, 31, and Blaha, 24, already shared a two-year-old son when they were arrested for the murder of their newborn daughter.
Brandon Thoma
According to an affidavit, the 24-year-old mother was taken to a Webster County hospital in Iowa on November 22, where she allegedly told hospital staff that she had given birth at her home but disposed of the baby.
The concerning admittance prompted an Iowa Department of Human Services employee to contact local police. A detective was dispatched to the hospital to interview the mother.
Blaha then revealed the heinous act that she and her boyfriend, the father of the newborn, allegedly committed before checking into the hospital.
Taylor Blaha
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According to the mother, she had given birth to a girl at home on the toilet while Thoma was in their bedroom. After their daughter was born, Blaha stated that Thoma came into the bathroom, cut the umbilical cord, and helped move both the mother and baby from the toilet to the bathtub.
The newborn was in good health, crying and waving her arms. It was then that she allegedly asked the baby's father for "meth" to ease her pain.
Blaha revealed to the detective that the couple never had intentions to raise the child and that her sister was set to adopt her.
However, the couple became paranoid that the baby — and their drug use — would be discovered. A statement from December 7 revealed the couple's alleged evil plan.
The newborn's father stated that the couple was concerned that law enforcement would discover the child — and be found with meth in its system. Fearing that the baby's cries would draw suspicion from neighbors and lead to the discovery of the child with meth in its system, the couple made the joint decision to allegedly kill the newborn to avoid having their toddler son taken from them by Child Protective Services.
Thoma then reportedly demonstrated to Blaha that they could submerge the baby in the bathtub.
After the alleged act was committed, Blaha stated that Thoma wrapped the baby in a trash bag and placed the body in a backpack.
Thoma told detectives that on December 5 he left the home with the newborn's body in his backpack and discarded of the remains in a rural area just north of the North Carolina Iowa Regional landfill.
Surveillance footage from the couple's apartment aligned with the father's statement. A piece of the newborn's umbilical cord or placenta was discovered at the couple's home, which the mother and father revealed was kept to remember their daughter.
Thoma is currently being held on a $1.05 million bond and Blaha is held at a $1 million bond.
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