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View Full Version : Detective: USC Student Dumped Another Newborn Baby



RitcheyRch
08-22-2007, 04:15 PM
This biotch has issues.
http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_234165015.html
USC student accused of dumping her newborn son in a trash bin had disposed of an allegedly stillborn baby from a previous pregnancy in a similar manner, a Los Angeles police detective testified Wednesday.
LAPD Detective Carlton Shaw took the witness stand Wednesday morning at the preliminary hearing for Holly Ashcraft, 22, who is charged with murder and child endangerment in connection with the infant found in October 2005.
Prosecutors contend that newborn -- whose body was found by a homeless man sifting through a trash bin behind the 29th Street Cafe, a popular USC hangout -- was born alive. Defense attorney Mark Geragos said there was no evidence supporting that allegation.
Ashcraft had a previous pregnancy that resulted in birth in April 2004, according to Shaw.
At the hospital following the earlier pregnancy, Ashcraft was interviewed by Shaw and his partner, the detective said.
Ashcraft initially denied having been pregnant, but later said she had given birth to a stillborn the prior week in her dormitory's bathroom, Shaw said. Ashcraft told police she took the baby back to her room and held it for two hours, but the baby never moved or cried.
"She said she deposited her baby in a trash can at the USC dorms," Shaw said.
That infant's remains were never found, and Ashcraft was never arrested or charged in connection with that case.
The defendant's friend, Kimberly LeDuff, testified that Ashcraft did not appear to be pregnant at that time.
On April 28, 2004, LeDuff said she found Ashcraft on the floor of the bathroom, covered in blood.
Ashcraft was "just laying there," LeDuff testified. "She was mumbling. She wasn't speaking very clearly."
LeDuff called paramedics, and rode in the ambulance to the hospital. Afterward, LeDuff asked Ashcraft if she had given birth but she said no.
"She never talked about it," LeDuff said.
Deputy District Attorney Franco Baratta said Tuesday that the first pregnancy shows Ashcraft's knowledge and intent in regards to the second infant.
LAPD Officer Joseph Cruz -- who also testified Wednesday -- said he spoke to Ashcraft the night the newborn boy was found.
"She seemed a little concerned, not ecstatic or out of the ordinary," said Cruz, who also witnessed Ashcraft watching the crime scene as police worked through the night.
The preliminary hearing will continue tomorrow at 9 a.m. Geragos is expected to finish his cross- examination of Dr. David Whiteman with the coroner's office. Whiteman testified Wednesday morning there was no evidence the baby suffered any physical trauma and did not have any drugs in his system when he was born.
Whiteman's testimony was cut short when Geragos realized there were additional coroner's reports that he had not been given. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Samuel Mayerson directed the coroner's office to turn over those reports this afternoon.
Ashcraft, originally from Billings, Mont., is free on $200,000 bail. She has been suspended by USC pending the outcome of her criminal case.
The hearing, which is expected to conclude Thursday, is to determine if there is enough evidence to bring the defendant to trial.

RitcheyRch
08-22-2007, 05:45 PM
Love that show and do remember some of the episode. Dont think they investigated her doing this twice.
They did a Law & Order on her original case.