4 infants found dead when landlord cleaned out rental home - Sept 2025 - Ford City PA

[ReDReq]

Some new info from the article and video:
Autopsies not yet complete, awaiting toxicology
JM had a roommate for about 6 months, roommate was previously homeless.

After 4 dead infants found in Armstrong County home, landlord describes house of horrors

Jessica Mauthe was charged last week after four dead infants were found in her house in September, authorities said.

www.cbsnews.com

okay, that things a whole lot of new questions.

- Is the time line correct, if even a roommate did not smell something rotten? 6 months is a long time.
- the phrasing some of the babies. Are the babies all not even hers?
- She had 3 cats. I have had cats all my life, so I know of their tendency to find anything, they consider edible. My home country had a news article during winter, about a cat, whom got inside a morgue (due carelessness) and had been chewing on the deceased. Cat was abandoned and hungry too - these days living in a good loving home.
- I am also a chef, at my highest rank restaurant manager. Working in a restaurant is hard during pregnancies, did you know about them or not. It's the heat and fast pace that gets on you. It is possible to work, but usually with special arrangements (having chances to sit down, extra bathroom and extra breaks.).

 

[Dreamcherry]

Some new info from the article and video:
Autopsies not yet complete, awaiting toxicology
JM had a roommate for about 6 months, roommate was previously homeless.

After 4 dead infants found in Armstrong County home, landlord describes house of horrors

Jessica Mauthe was charged last week after four dead infants were found in her house in September, authorities said.

www.cbsnews.com

Thanks for posting this! Seeing the actual state of the house made things a lot clearer, for me anyway. I think everyone who suggested that this is someone who can't manage her life is 100% right on the money. If I understood correctly, she's lived in her parents' house her whole life? I think she's probably never been functional.

It's pretty wild that she had a roommate there for a while, but I'm guessing the low-level hoarder mess might have made the decomp smell less obvious if the whole house reeked to begin with. I've experienced places like that first-hand, and it's just a symphony of stench. You can't really distinguish specifics. It sounds like the workers only caught on when they got close to the bag. If they couldn't smell it from a mile away (like you can with a dead mouse in your house if you've ever had the pleasure), then there was probably a lot of smell interference, I'm guessing.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Scheduled:

Preliminary Hearing 10/28/2025 9:30 am with Magisterial District Judge J. Gary DeComo

https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/Report/MdjDocketSheet?docketNumber=MJ-33301-CR-0000141-2025&dnh=3uzAJ%2Bt%2B9UDLS4O4Q%2FWa4w%3D%3D

 

[shetalksinstereo]

Update from hearing

 

[tlcya]

As to why she didn't report the births, in one instance, she allegedly told troopers she didn't want to get in trouble because she was on suboxone, an anti-addiction drug she didn't have a prescription for.
[snip]
Pascal didn't call any witnesses but told the court that his client may have been in a dream state brought about by the pain and trauma of childbirth.
Armstrong County woman to stand trial after 4 dead babies found in home

a dream state. During four separate purposefully secret home deliveries. mmkay

 

[steeltowngirl]

“Pascal didn't call any witnesses but told the court that his client may have been in a dream state brought about by the pain and trauma of childbirth.”

Yeah, right.
4x.
Nah.
She’s a junkie.

JMO

 

[TMich6811]

As to why she didn't report the births, in one instance, she allegedly told troopers she didn't want to get in trouble because she was on suboxone, an anti-addiction drug she didn't have a prescription for.
[snip]
Pascal didn't call any witnesses but told the court that his client may have been in a dream state brought about by the pain and trauma of childbirth.
Armstrong County woman to stand trial after 4 dead babies found in home

a dream state. During four separate purposefully secret home deliveries. mmkay

4x

Grasping for anything

 

[Izzylizzy]

Another defense lawyer that should just shut-up.
imo

'Jessica Mauthe is accused of killing her own children shortly after they were born. State police testified in her preliminary hearing that she explained why she hid the babies' deaths the way she did. Her defense attorney says it could have been anything from her mental health state to her believing she was having just a bad dream.

Armstrong County woman to stand trial after 4 dead babies found in home

The woman accused of having the partially decomposed remains of four babies hidden inside her home in Armstrong County will stand trial.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[borndem]

...

 

[steeltowngirl]

Another defense lawyer that should just shut-up.
imo

'Jessica Mauthe is accused of killing her own children shortly after they were born. State police testified in her preliminary hearing that she explained why she hid the babies' deaths the way she did. Her defense attorney says it could have been anything from her mental health state to her believing she was having just a bad dream.

Armstrong County woman to stand trial after 4 dead babies found in home

The woman accused of having the partially decomposed remains of four babies hidden inside her home in Armstrong County will stand trial.

www.cbsnews.com

Defense seems to be setting up for an insanity plea.

After the hearing, Pascal admitted it was a “tough case,” but he asked the public to withhold judgment during the court proceedings.

“This is the beginning of a very long process,” Pascal said.

He said the defense would explore all options, including a potential mental health evaluation.

Notice of Privacy

 

[borndem]

Agree, and why even mention it at all? Would it have been a different charge if she'd been IN wedlock? The charge must have different wording if you're married, so wonder why even include it, either way.

Excellent points, sunspun.

 

[TMich6811]

Do you all think they be able to confirm the fathers dna of each infant?

 

[tlcya]

I don't know, if there were multiple fathers I am not sure how they would even go about finding out the whos/whens. If her deceased spouse was then that should be simple enough to determine I would think with familial DNA. but if the babies don't lead back to him as far as parentage I am not sure how they would even begin to figure it out.

 

[Emerald1328]

...

I’m not sure if this was a DBM post, or an actual response to the new info, but if this was a response….same dude, same.

 

[ReDReq]

Dream state.... Mmm'kay. But yea, I agree that they are trying to probably get insanity plea in. To be so dissociated during giving birth, that you end up doing what she did.... Sounds more like she was high as a kite during each time. Poor lil angels...

 

[steeltowngirl]

There's a notation from 9/23 on the criminal docket by the Armstrong County DA - 'application for appointment of private counsel'. Yet, the public defender Pascal showed up at the latest hearing.

https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/Report/CpDocketSheet?docketNumber=CP-03-MD-0000728-2025&dnh=kdXbyJkYMkOIKP8pHxVVfA%3D%3D

 

[Izzylizzy]

Defense seems to be setting up for an insanity plea.

After the hearing, Pascal admitted it was a “tough case,” but he asked the public to withhold judgment during the court proceedings.

“This is the beginning of a very long process,” Pascal said.

He said the defense would explore all options, including a potential mental health evaluation.

Notice of Privacy

Pascal is damn right it's a "tough case" because you're not talking about murdering 1 newborn, there's 4.
Insanity doesn't come and go and just raise its ugly head when you give birth.

imo

 

[steeltowngirl]

Insanity doesn't come and go and just raise its ugly head when you give birth.

Yep. Well, except for the wee bit of insanity that comes with dealing with toddlers. <jk>

 

[Kittypoo]

Yep. Well, except for the wee bit of insanity that comes with dealing with toddlers. <jk>

Sadly none of them got the chance to be toddlers. I would be interested to know the gender of the babies lost and the ones allowed to live and did this have any bearing on their fate.
JMO

 

[steeltowngirl]

Woman pleads ‘not guilty’ after 4 dead babies found in Armstrong County home

FORD CITY, Armstrong County — An Armstrong County woman pleaded not guilty at a Tuesday, Oct. 28, preliminary hearing where detectives described how they found four decomposing infant’s bodies when re...

www.butlereagle.com

"As part of the defense, we are going to look at every possible option," Pascal said.

Pascal didn't call any witnesses but told the court that his client may have been in a dream state brought about by the pain and trauma of childbirth.

"There was no evidence introduced today about any cause of death, about whether any baby was alive, any scientific evidence. Therefore, you've got to question anything that Miss Mauthe may have said, whether it was accurate or not. She may not know."

Mauthe remains in the Armstrong County Jail facing multiple charges, including criminal homicide. She's been denied bond. There's no word on a trial date.

Armstrong County woman to stand trial after 4 dead babies found in home

The woman accused of having the partially decomposed remains of four babies hidden inside her home in Armstrong County will stand trial.

www.cbsnews.com