A 24-year-old Michigan woman was charged Wednesday with the death of her newborn son, who was found dead earlier this month at a recycling center in Roseville, the Detroit Free Press reported.
Angela Alexie barely said a word as her bond was set at $1 million on charges of murder and first-degree child neglect of her son, who has been unofficially named Henry Alexander Macomb as investigators piece together a time and cause of death.
Alexie, who has three living children, gave birth to a baby boy on Dec. 22 in the garage of a friend she was staying with in Eastpointe, Roseville Police Chief James Berlin told the Detroit Free Press. The mother said she tried feeding the baby but he wouldn't eat.
Police said the baby remained in the unheated garage for a few days before he died.
"[Alexie] left the house and then back out to the garage to check on the baby every few hours," Roseville Police told MLive. "Then the baby finally passed away on the 24th of December."
Alexie allegedly wrapped her son's body in a blanket and went to her parents Eastpointe home where she placed him in a shed.
The infant was found Jan. 14 by staff at the ReCommunity Recycling center. Police do not know how the body ended up in the recycling bin outside Alexie's parent's house and eventually the recycling center, the Detroit Free Press reported.
Alexie, who said she never had a job before, tried hiding her last two pregnancies and also gave birth to her third child on her own, Berlin said. She does not have custody of any of her kids, Berlin said.
A Macomb County Medical Examiner is to determine when and how the child died, but Berlin said it appears he died from neglect and exposure.
A non-guilty plea was entered for Alexie, who faces life in prison if convicted, MLive reported. She is scheduled for a probable cause hearing Feb. 4.
