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Evanston mother accused of discarding newborn girl's remains after death

By Nic Flosi
Published  November 22, 2024 4:18pm CST
Evanston
FOX 32 Chicago

The Brief

    • An Evanston woman faces a felony charge for allegedly concealing the death of her newborn after the baby passed away shortly after birth.
    • Authorities say the remains of the baby were discarded in a garbage bin and could not be recovered.
    • The investigation is ongoing, with a court date set for January 2025.

EVANSTON, Ill. - A 19-year-old Evanston woman has been charged with concealing the death of her newborn baby.

Evanston police began their investigation on Aug. 29 after receiving a report that the remains of a newborn were disposed of in a garbage receptacle.

Investigators determined that Layarria Searcy gave birth to a live baby girl on Aug. 25 at her home in the 1900 block of Jackson Avenue. Shortly after birth, the baby passed away, but Searcy did not report the death and instead took steps to conceal what had happened, police said.

Despite efforts by law enforcement, the remains of the baby were not recovered. Without the remains, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office was unable to determine the cause and manner of the infant's death.

Layarria Searcy

On Nov. 19, Searcy was arrested and indicted on one felony count of concealing a death. She has not been detained by the Cook County Sheriff and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 9, 2025.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Evanston Police Department at 847-866-5040.

The Source

  • The information in this article was provided by the Evanston Police Department.