NORWALK, Iowa — EDITOR'S NOTE: This story contains descriptions of an alleged crime that may be disturbing to some.
Two people have been in arrested in connection to the death of a newborn in Norwalk, police said in a press release.
25-year-old Megan K. Staude and her father, 64-year-old Rodney Staude, are both charged with first-degree murder after allegedly leaving Megan's newborn son to die.
"It is an upsetting, emotional investigation," said Greg Staples, police chief for the Norwalk Police Department. "Many people in town knew who the Staudes were. They've lived here for a long time."
Megan's coworkers contacted the Norwalk Police Department on March 8 with concerns about the safety of Megan's baby, according to a criminal complaint filed against Rodney.
In a meeting with police that same day, Megan said the baby died on the way to the hospital.
Megan told police the baby was buried at St. John Cemetery in Cumming, but officers were unable to find the burial site.
In the same meeting, Rodney claimed he had no information about the incident.
However, on March 9, his story changed: Rodney claimed he and Megan were driving to a hospital in Des Moines when the baby passed away. He then placed the baby in a plastic bag and disposed of the body in a ditch.
Rodney then took a DCI agent to the 5300 block of Delaware Street, where he said the body was located. There, with the help of a cadaver dog, they located a deceased baby boy. A tied trash bag was found near the body.
A search warrant was issued for the Staude home, where police found a placenta and "signs of birth", according to the criminal complaint.
On March 13, Megan told police she had given birth on Feb. 24. She claims she placed the baby in a box, where the baby cried on and off for two days, during which time she did not care for the baby.
Megan then claimed she and Rodney placed the baby into a trash bag. According to Megan, the baby survived inside the trash bag for several minutes before it stopped moving. Afterward, she and Rodney left the baby's body in a ditch.
In another statement to law enforcement, Rodney's largely echoed Megan's story: He claimed that when he got home from work, the baby was moving, and "lived for a couple of days" before he placed the baby in a trash bag and discarded his body in a ditch.
The Office of the State Medical Examiner has conducted an autopsy on the baby's body. The results of the autopsy are still pending.
Community members in Norwalk describe the Staudes as pretty private, but many say their home had been in poor condition for a long time. The house is now considered "unsafe to occupy" by the city of Norwalk.
"I think there was alarm, as far as Megan's safety and the environment that she was in," said Angie Webb, Norwalk resident.
Several neighbors say they didn't even know about Megan's pregnancy. They're taking the tragedy as a reason to keep a more watchful eye on the community.
"I don't know if there's anything we can do other than contact DHS if you're worried about children in the home or things like that," Webb said.
This is an ongoing investigation.
Local 5 will update this story as more information becomes available. Download the We Are Iowa app or subscribe to Local 5's "5 Things to Know" email newsletter for the latest.
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