PAINTSVILLE, Ky. — A Johnson County woman has been charged with murdering a newborn infant.
Amanda Meade, 34, of West Van Lear, was indicted last week. She is accused of delivering the baby at home, then using scissors to cut the umbilical cord. The child died as a result.
The indictment provides no other details about the incident, but the Johnson County Coroner’s Office told LEX 18 that they are investigating the possibility drugs played a factor.
EKB News spoke with West Van Lear Fire Chief and Deputy Coroner Bill Robinson, who responded to the call for help. Robinson says Meade called 911 around 3 p.m., Oct. 15. The baby had been born about an hour earlier.
Robinson says Meade delivered the baby by herself in her home, which had no electricity or running water. He says she cut the umbilical cord with scissors, but the State Medical Examiner’s Office found she did not clamp it properly afterwards and the infant died of blood loss.
He added that EMTs revived the baby by CPR at the scene, then rushed it to Paul B. Hall Regional Medical Center. The baby lived another 20 minutes at the hospital, Robinson says, during which time the child opened an eye and moved a finger.
Robinson says the infant might have been slightly premature, but was fully formed.
Meade is charged with murder, a class A felony, punishable by 20-to-50 years in prison.
Meade is currently being held at the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center. She is also facing numerous other charges not related to the indictment, including possession of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, in addition to numerous traffic charges.
