(This story has been updated with new information.)
PALM COAST — A 20-year-old woman is facing a manslaughter charge after she unexpectedly gave birth Thursday, March 5, and watched as her newborn drowned in the toilet, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
The woman, who was at home, placed the baby girl’s body in a duffle bag in a closet and headed to class at Daytona State College and then to a theater performance in New Smyrna Beach.
Anne Mae Demegillo returned home about 10 p.m. and removed her baby’s body from the duffle bag, wrapped it in a towel and buried it in a shallow grave in her backyard.
Demegillo sent a message about the baby to a friend on social media and the friend contacted the Sheriff’s Office for a welfare check. That prompted deputies to respond to Demegillo’s home in the 100 block of Florida Park Drive about 4 a.m. Friday, March 6, leading to her arrest.
Demegillo was charged with one count of aggravated manslaughter of a child and was booked into the jail Friday night.
Palm Coast woman buried baby in backyard
Demegillo’s mother was at the home when deputies arrived.
Demegillo showed deputies were she had buried the baby in the backyard, the sheriff’s office stated. Deputies removed about 4 to 5 inches of dirt and found the baby’s body.
The baby girl weighed 3 pounds, 6 ounces and was 18.7 inches long, the sheriff’s office stated.
Chief Deputy Commander Joseph Barile said during a press conference on Friday afternoon, that Demegillo told deputies she didn’t know she was pregnant. She said she had cramps, went to the bathroom and gave birth to a “live child.”
Barile said Demegillo watched the newborn until she stopped breathing.
Demegillo had sent a message to a friend saying she had delivered a baby in the toilet and the child had been crying initially. She walked away and when she returned the child had stopped crying and moving. But Barile also said that she had watched the child die.
Barile said during the press conference that authorities were still gathering information and that some things had changed during the investigation.
Palm Coast woman watched her baby drown in toilet, detectives say
Demegillo did not generally show remorse but she said she knew what she did was wrong and needed to be held accountable, Barile said.
The sheriff’s office did not release information regarding the baby’s father.
The FCSO’s Major Case Unit and Crime Scene Investigation determined that “Demegillo knowingly and purposefully allowed the newborn to drown in the toilet,” a press released stated.
Flagler County Sheriff reminds residents about Florida’s Safe Haven Law
“This is a heartbreaking tragedy for our community, for the family involved, and an emotionally difficult case for our team,” said Sheriff Rick Staly stated in the release. “I want to remind our community, especially our expectant mothers: Florida law allows you to bring a child at birth to a local fire station, hospital or law enforcement agency and surrender the child. That is a much better solution than what we are investigating today — for everyone involved, but most importantly the infant who was prevented from the life they deserve. May God bless this infant and hold and comfort the baby in his loving hands with the love the baby never received on earth.”
Palm Coast Fire Station No. 25 at 1250 Belle Terre Parkway has a “Safe Haven Baby Box” which allows for complete anonymity. The box was activated Sept. 30, 2025, and is secure and climate controlled. Parents can place a child in the box without having to interact with anyone.
The investigation is continuing and the sheriff’s office asked anyone with information about the case to call 386-313-4911.
Digital Editor Ashley Varese contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Palm Coast woman, 20, facing charges after giving birth, burying child
Reporting by Frank Fernandez, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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