College Student Charged with Aggravated Manslaughter After Newborn Found in Dorm Trash Can

The Discovery of the Newborn

• 🩸 Brianna Moore, a 19-year-old freshman at the University of Tampa, faces aggravated manslaughter and child neglect charges.
• 🗑️ She allegedly gave birth in her dorm bathroom and placed the newborn in a shared trash can.
• 🚨 Roommates discovered blood in the bathroom and later found the deceased infant in a trash bag, leading to campus safety being alerted.

Moore's Account and Legal Defenses

• 🤷‍♀️ Moore claimed she was unaware she was pregnant, attributing missed periods to stopping birth control and attributing any weight gain to the "freshman 15."
• ⏱️ She stated the baby cried for only a few seconds before she believed it died, leading her to place it in the trash.
• ⚖️ A potential defense strategy involves a "disassociative state" or "fugue state," arguing she was not mentally mature enough to process the situation, though this may not meet the legal threshold for insanity.

Law Enforcement Interviews and Evidence

• 🎙️ In interviews, Moore expressed shock and panic, stating she would have taken the baby to the hospital if it had survived.
• 📱 Detectives were skeptical of her claims of ignorance regarding the pregnancy, noting surveillance footage showed her appearing pregnant.
• 📞 She admitted to considering calling 911 but was scared and panicked, also mentioning financial concerns about hospital costs.

Disturbing Text Messages and Autopsy Findings

• 💬 Text messages from September 2023 revealed Moore discussing "Plan C" with a contact named Casim, referring to it as "my favorite" method to "kill the kid" if other contraception failed.
• 💔 The prosecution argues these texts show a willingness to kill a baby, potentially supporting charges beyond negligence.
• 🩺 An autopsy determined the infant died from asphyxia due to torso compression with rib fractures, classifying the manner of death as homicide.

Legal Proceedings and Potential Sentencing

• ⚖️ Moore faces charges including aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect with great bodily harm.
• 🏥 The defense is attempting to introduce expert testimony on disassociative states, while the prosecution argues it does not meet the standard for insanity.
• ⛓️ If convicted of aggravated manslaughter, Moore faces up to 30 years in prison.