Today in History: 18-year-old girl gave birth and murdered baby on prom night
The teen gave birth to the baby boy in a bathroom stall and shortly thereafter murdered him and dumped him in a garbage can.
She had concealed her pregnancy from the baby’s father, her friends, and her parents, and eventually gave birth on the night of her school’s prom, murdering the baby boy shortly afterwards.
Eighteen-year-old Melissa Drexler attended Lacey Township High School, and the school’s prom was held at the Aberdeen Township banquet hall in New Jersey.
After arriving at the prom with her friends, Drexler immediately went to the women’s bathroom. With her friends unaware of the situation, she gave birth to her baby boy in about 20 to 30 minutes.
She reportedly told her friend, “Go tell the boys I’ll be right out.”
Apparently, Drexler cut the baby’s umbilical cord on the edge of a metal sanitary napkin box in the stall.
Blood tests revealed that she had no trace of drugs or alcohol in her system.
After dumping the baby’s body, she reportedly ate a salad and returned to the dance as if nothing had happened.
Maintenance workers who were called to clean up blood found in the stall discovered a bag containing the dead baby in the garbage.
An autopsy later revealed that the baby had been born alive but had been strangled to death.
Drexler’s case drew national attention and outrage throughout the US, especially since she returned to the dance-floor after killing her newborn baby.
It was also somewhat curious that she had managed to conceal her pregnancy from everyone she knew.
Prosecutors in Monmouth County initially charged Drexler with murder, but she pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter on 21 August, 1998.
Telling the court that she was remorseful for her actions, the teary-eyed girl was sentenced to 15 years in prison with the possibility of parole after three years, on 29 October.
She was released from prison on parole after spending a mere 37 months in jail, on 26 November, 2001.
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