KINGSTON, Tenn. — New details provide insight into what happened this month before a Roane County mother's newborn baby was found by Kingston police, dead and wrapped in a towel.
Police responded Saturday morning to a 911 call in the 900 block of Rosedale Avenue in Kingston.
On Thursday, Amanda Cooper, the mother accused of abusing her baby's corpse, appeared in Roane County General Sessions Court virtually for a bond hearing.
Judge Dennis Humphrey read an affidavit accusing Cooper of smoking something, possibly meth, before she gave birth on a toilet.
Cooper confirmed she lived in the house where the baby's body was found. She said she takes care of her mother, who has bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
She also said the newborn was her fourth child. She does not have custody of the other three, she said. She also said she has not been in court before, but did miss a child support court date.
Kingston Police Detective Keith Kyle testified. He said he found the baby wrapped in two towels lying in a bed behind a couch Cooper was sitting on.
Kyle said there was blood splattered around the house and on Cooper's legs. Kyle said Cooper was coherent and able to answer questions. She was then taken to Methodist Hospital.
Kyle said he spoke to a witness, Jason Jeffers. Jeffers had checked on Cooper late Friday, then left and went to Harriman. When he returned early Saturday, he found Cooper on the toilet. Cooper told him to get some towels.
The detective said Jeffers told him he took the baby from the toilet and wrapped it in a towel. He said the baby was not crying.
There were two canceled 911 calls. The third call led to authorities coming to the house and finding the baby, Thursday's hearing showed.
Kyle also said he listened to an interview with Cooper conducted at the hospital. Cooper told authorities she'd been around 8 months pregnant, and was expecting to have the baby in late March. She also admitted to regularly smoking heroin.
Cooper told authorities she felt the need to use heroin once or twice a day so she wouldn't experience the feeling of withdrawal.
Cooper said in the interview to authorities she was smoking aluminum foil before giving birth because it numbed the pain. She said she felt like she needed to go to the bathroom, saw blood and thinks she passed out.
Kyle said authorities obtained a search warrant and found drug paraphernalia, including straws and burnt tin foil.
An autopsy was completed Sunday on the baby, but the cause of death was not determined. Detectives will look into blood and tissue samples.
More charges could come, but right now, Cooper is charged with abuse of a corpse. Her bond is set at $50,000. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled March 12.