Florida – In a devastating case from Florida, a 23-year-old woman, identified as B. Desouza, has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the death of her newborn son, who suffocated in her bed after she failed to seek help during an unexpected home birth. Desouza, who was just 19 years old at the time of the incident, entered a guilty plea in the county court to aggravated manslaughter of a child and neglect of a child causing great bodily harm.
The charges follow a deeply tragic series of events that began on May 2, 2022. That afternoon, deputies from the sheriff’s office and fire rescue units were dispatched to a home after receiving a chilling 911 call. The caller, Desouza’s mother, told the dispatcher she had just entered her daughter’s room and found the newborn unresponsive. First responders rushed the baby to a hospital, but their efforts were in vain. The child was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Investigators later learned that Desouza had unexpectedly gone into labor that day, one day ahead of her scheduled induced birth. She gave birth alone in her bedroom, wearing boxer shorts, and never attempted to remove the baby or adjust her position. According to Desouza’s account, she held the infant until he stopped crying, then left him lying on the bed and went to take a shower. Instead of alerting anyone, Desouza then went to lie down in her mother’s bed.
“She said the birth happened quickly, and [she] did not know [he] was dead until her mom came in,” the affidavit stated. When detectives asked her to describe what happened, Desouza said she was “really confused” and that the birth “didn’t hurt.” She admitted, “I just sat there and watched him cry. I didn’t know what to do, so I just looked at him.” “I just didn’t do anything and I’m so mad,” she added. “It was like my body stopped working.” She told investigators she thought the baby had fallen asleep and didn’t realize anything was wrong until her mother discovered him.
The medical examiner later determined the baby died from asphyxia caused by chest compression. The report noted the infant had likely been born through the leg hole of Desouza’s boxer shorts, which pressed his face against her thigh, restricting his ability to breathe. Authorities say Desouza never moved or adjusted her clothing, nor did she make any attempt to help her newborn once he was delivered. “[Desouza] did not attempt to move herself, remove clothing, reposition the baby, pick up, comfort, seek medical attention, or otherwise care for the child,” investigators wrote.
After the incident, Desouza was hospitalized at a behavioral health center, where she disclosed a history of depression and self-harm. She also stated she had stopped taking her prescribed antidepressant two weeks prior to giving birth. Her mother later told investigators that Desouza had been diagnosed with psychosis and bipolar disorder and had shown signs of extreme stress over the baby’s upcoming birth and plans for adoption.
Desouza remained under psychiatric care for over a week and was released on May 11, 2022. She was arrested more than a year later, in December 2023, after a lengthy investigation led to criminal charges. Now, with a guilty plea entered, Desouza faces a potential sentence ranging from nearly 15 years to a maximum of 45 years in prison. Her sentencing is scheduled for January 29, 2026.
As the case heads toward resolution, what remains is a haunting image of a young mother frozen by fear, illness, and confusion—her newborn left helpless in his first moments of life. The prosecution has framed Desouza’s inaction as a fatal decision, while the defense is expected to raise her mental health history as a significant factor in the tragedy. Regardless of how the court ultimately rules, one life has ended, and another now awaits judgment—both shaped by a moment of silence in a room where a cry was heard, then stopped.
