The Muskingum University Infanticide Case: Emily Weaver's Shocking Crime
In April 2015, a shocking discovery outside a sorority house at Muskingum University changed lives forever. A newborn baby found in a trash bag prompted an immediate police response, with suspicion quickly falling on 20-year-old Emily Weaver. The discovery sent ripples through the university community and launched a criminal investigation that would reveal troubling contradictions.
Initial interrogations showed Emily denying knowledge of her pregnancy, despite evidence suggesting otherwise. Text messages with her ex-boyfriend Logan from weeks prior indicated she had been aware of her condition for months, discussing being "7 months" pregnant. Search history and items found in her possession, including black cohosh pills potentially used to induce labor, raised serious questions about her intentions and truthfulness during the investigation.
Key Takeaways
A deceased newborn discovered in a trash bag outside a university sorority house led authorities to one of the residents.
Despite the suspect's denials, evidence including text messages and search history contradicted her claims of being unaware of her pregnancy.
Investigators uncovered concerning materials suggesting the possibility of premeditated actions rather than the surprise birth scenario initially described.
Disturbing Find at Muskingum University Campus
The Infant Discovery Details
The investigation began on Wednesday, April 22, 2015, when a disturbing discovery was made outside a sorority house at Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio. Several sorority sisters found a tightly knotted trash bag against the side of their house. Upon opening it, they uncovered the body of a newborn infant.
University police immediately contacted local authorities: "I'm going to need you to send a deputy over here... we got a newborn baby been discarded, looks like it's dead." Law enforcement quickly arrived at the residence where twelve female students lived. Authorities soon focused their attention on 20-year-old Emily Weaver as a potential suspect.
The medical examiner's findings would become crucial evidence as the investigation proceeded. Detective Todd Mey from the Muskingum County Sheriff's Office noted in his report that the infant appeared to have been recently born before being placed in the trash bag.
Sorority House Incident Investigation
During initial questioning, Emily first denied having been pregnant but changed her story when informed about potential DNA evidence. Her explanations during interviews contained numerous inconsistencies. When asked about pregnancy rumors among her peers, she acknowledged hearing them but claimed, "I didn't take a test or anything."
Evidence later showed Emily had taken a pregnancy test at the University's Wellness Center, which came back positive. Despite multiple attempts by the center to contact her via calls, emails, and texts, she never responded to these notifications.
Text messages recovered between Emily and her ex-boyfriend Logan revealed a different narrative:
March 18 (one month before birth): "I don't know what to do besides keep it a secret"
April 17 (five days before birth): Emily accused Logan of "starting a war" by telling others
In another exchange, Emily wrote "I'm 7 months" when discussing clinic options
When questioned about internet searches, Emily admitted to researching pregnancy termination options. Investigators also discovered black cohosh pills in her bedroom, which can be used to induce labor or terminate pregnancy.
The bathroom where Emily gave birth became a key location in the investigation. She claimed she had experienced only "uncomfortable stomach pain" that she initially mistook for a stomach bug going around the sorority house. However, the door was locked during the incident, and according to a recorded conversation between Emily and her mother, "somebody tried to get in the bathroom and knock at the door but there was no sound whatsoever."
Investigation Unfolds
The case began unfolding on April 22, 2015, when sorority sisters discovered a tightly knotted trash bag outside their house in New Concord, Ohio. Their shocking find—a deceased newborn—immediately prompted a call to local authorities. Police responded quickly to the Muskingham University sorority house where twelve young women resided, and suspicion soon focused on one resident in particular.
Emily Weaver Identified as Mother
Authorities immediately suspected 20-year-old Emily Weaver was connected to the abandoned newborn. When initially questioned, Emily denied having given birth, but this denial quickly crumbled under scrutiny. The investigation revealed concerning digital evidence that contradicted her claims of ignorance about her pregnancy:
A saved Pinterest board featuring baby nursery setups
Text messages to her ex-boyfriend Logan discussing her pregnancy
A March 18 text stating: "I don't know what to do besides keep it a secret"
An April 17 message where she acknowledged being "7 months" pregnant
These findings directly contradicted Emily's insistence that she "did not know completely, absolutely, positively" about her pregnancy.
Detective Todd Mey's Investigation
Detective Mey from the Muskingham County Sheriff's Office conducted the initial questioning with Emily. During their first conversation, she admitted the child was hers only after being informed that DNA evidence could establish the connection. When the detective returned for further questioning, he confronted numerous inconsistencies in her story.
Emily claimed she experienced only "uncomfortable pain" before the birth, describing it as stomach discomfort that she attributed to a stomach bug circulating among her housemates. "I didn't think anything of it," she told Detective Mey, insisting that the birth came as a complete surprise.
Detective Mey noted in his report that Emily claimed she had:
No excessive weight gain
No visible stretch marks
Only missed periods "sometime after August" with occasional spotting
No typical pregnancy symptoms like nausea
His notes reflect growing skepticism about her claims of being unaware of her condition.
Interrogation and DNA Evidence
As the interrogation progressed, Detective Mey directly challenged Emily's version of events. "I don't believe that you went into the bathroom and had this baby and it was a complete surprise," he stated. "That's not true, is it? That's unrealistic."
The investigation uncovered several troubling pieces of evidence:
Computer searches - When asked if she had searched online about concealing or terminating pregnancy, Emily admitted to researching abortion options
Medication found - Investigators discovered pills in her bedroom identified as black cohosh, which can be used to induce labor or terminate pregnancy
Wellness Center report - Emily had taken a pregnancy test at the University Wellness Center, which came back positive, but she never responded to their attempts to contact her
Text exchanges with Logan - Messages showed her ex-boyfriend suggesting she "should have gotten it taken care of" when he told her to
A particularly revealing exchange occurred five days before the birth when Emily accused Logan of "starting a war" by telling others about their situation, suggesting their secret wasn't completely contained as she had claimed.
The accumulated evidence painted a picture starkly different from Emily's insistence that she was unaware of her pregnancy, raising serious questions about her actions before, during, and after the birth of the child found in that trash bag.
The Ongoing Investigation
Emily's Confession
Detective Todd Mey continued questioning Emily about the events surrounding the discovery of a deceased newborn in a trash bag outside her sorority house. Initially, Emily had denied being pregnant, but when confronted with the possibility of DNA evidence, she admitted the child was hers. During the second interrogation, she acknowledged lying about her pregnancy status in their first conversation.
When asked if anyone knew about her pregnancy, Emily firmly stated, "No one knew about that." She claimed there were only rumors circulating among her sorority sisters, but insisted she hadn't confirmed these suspicions to anyone. "I didn't exactly know," she maintained when questioned about why she kept her condition secret.
Text messages later revealed a different story. In communications with her ex-boyfriend Logan from March 18th, approximately one month before giving birth, Emily wrote: "I don't know what to do besides keep it a secret." In another exchange just five days before delivery, she accused Logan of "starting a war" by telling others about her situation.
Confronting the Pregnancy Test Results
The investigation uncovered that Emily had actually taken a pregnancy test at the University's Wellness Center, which came back positive. Despite multiple attempts by the center to contact her through calls, emails, and texts, Emily never responded. When Detective Mey pressed her about her awareness of the pregnancy, her answers remained inconsistent.
"For sure for complete fact, no I did not know completely absolutely positively," Emily insisted. However, several pieces of evidence contradicted this claim:
Text messages to Logan where she wrote "I'm 7 months"
Social media activity including a saved pin about baby nursery setups
Search history related to pregnancy information
Black cohosh pills found in her room (potentially used to induce labor)
When questioned about physical symptoms, Emily admitted, "I gained weight, I mean not an excessive amount," and acknowledged she had stopped having regular periods "sometime after August" though claimed she still experienced spotting. She described feeling only "uncomfortable pain" and "stomach aches" before giving birth, saying, "I didn't think anything of it" and "thought I had the stomach bug."
Detective Mey directly challenged her claims: "I don't believe that you went into the bathroom and had this baby and it was a complete surprise... that's unrealistic." Emily's vague responses and the contradictory evidence continued to raise disturbing questions about what truly happened on that April morning.
Revealing the Hidden Facts
Digital Communications Reveal Knowledge
Text messages between Emily and her ex-boyfriend Logan paint a very different picture than what she claimed during police questioning. On March 18th, approximately one month before giving birth, Emily wrote to Logan: "I don't know what to do besides keep it a secret and I haven't told anyone about this situation but it's getting harder to keep quiet about." This contradicts her statements to the detective that she was unaware of her pregnancy.
Just five days before the birth, the exchanges became more heated. Emily accused Logan of "starting a war" by telling others about their situation, suggesting multiple people were aware. In another revealing message, Emily told Logan she was "7 months" pregnant when he suggested visiting a clinic—directly contradicting her claim to authorities that she had "no idea" about her condition.
Online Research Activities
The investigation uncovered compelling digital evidence showing Emily had researched pregnancy-related topics. When questioned directly about searching for information on concealing or terminating a pregnancy, Emily initially denied it before admitting, "I mean yeah." She acknowledged looking up abortion information online.
Beyond her search history, physical evidence discovered in Emily's bedroom included pills identified as Black Cohosh, which can be used to induce early labor or terminate pregnancy. When questioned about these pills, Emily acknowledged their purpose but claimed she "hadn't taken them in a while," leaving her intentions unclear.
Contradictions Between Statements and Evidence
Emily's account of events contains numerous inconsistencies when compared with the evidence. While she insisted to detectives that she "did not know completely, absolutely, positively" about her pregnancy, her text messages show otherwise. She specifically told Logan she didn't know "how to deal with this situation" and identified herself as being "7 months" pregnant.
Despite claiming she experienced no significant weight gain or typical pregnancy symptoms, investigators found a social media pin about baby nursery setups saved to her account. Additionally, Emily stated she only felt "uncomfortable pain" and "thought I had the stomach bug" when labor began, describing it as nothing severe.
The university's Wellness Center had attempted to contact Emily multiple times about her positive pregnancy test results through calls, emails, and texts—all of which went unanswered. This raises significant questions about whether she missed these communications accidentally or deliberately avoided them.
Examining Intentions and Plans
Awareness and Planning for Pregnancy Termination
Evidence suggests Emily had considered terminating her pregnancy before giving birth. Text messages between Emily and her ex-boyfriend Logan reveal important conversations about the pregnancy. On April 17th, just five days before delivering the baby, Logan texted Emily saying "you should have gotten it taken care of when I told you to." This indicates previous discussions about ending the pregnancy.
During questioning, Emily admitted to researching termination options online. When Detective Mey asked if she had looked up information about terminating a pregnancy, she confirmed: "Yeah... if it came down to it... mostly all I was seeing was abortion." This search history contradicts her claims of being unaware of her pregnancy.
In text messages from March 18th, Emily wrote to Logan: "I don't know what to do besides keep it a secret." She also mentioned being "in a situation" that was "getting harder to keep quiet about." Later communications show Emily accused Logan of "starting a war" by telling others about their situation, suggesting deliberate concealment.
The Pills Found in Emily's Room
Investigators discovered suspicious medication in Emily's bedroom that raised further questions about her intentions. When questioned about these pills, Emily identified them as "Black Cohosh," a herbal supplement.
Detective Mey directly asked: "Are those pills to induce an early labor or to terminate a pregnancy?" Emily's response was telling: "I mean I think there's like options, but I haven't taken them in a while." When pressed further about whether the pills could induce labor or terminate pregnancy, she confirmed: "Yes."
The presence of these pills, combined with her online searches about pregnancy termination and text messages discussing "taking care of" the pregnancy, suggests Emily may have considered or attempted medical intervention before giving birth. This evidence contradicts her repeated claims that she was unaware of her pregnancy and was surprised by the birth.
The Critical Day
Physical Distress and Emily's Experience
Emily described experiencing what she initially thought was just "uncomfortable pain" in her stomach area. She didn't consider it severe enough to be alarming. "It wasn't anything like severe. I didn't think anything of it," she stated during questioning. She compared the sensation to stomach discomfort rather than lower abdominal pain.
She mistakenly attributed these symptoms to a stomach virus. "I thought I had the stomach bug," Emily explained, noting that she had frequent bowel movements and knew that a stomach illness had been circulating among her housemates. This misinterpretation led her to dismiss the significance of what was actually happening.
Circumstances Leading to the Tragic Finding
On Wednesday, April 22, 2015, in New Concord, Ohio, sorority sisters made a horrifying discovery outside their house. They found a tightly knotted trash bag leaning against the building. Upon opening it, they uncovered a newborn baby, prompting an immediate call to authorities.
The police dispatcher received the alarming report: "We got a newborn baby been discarded looks like it's dead." Law enforcement quickly arrived at the sorority house where 12 female students resided. Though initially unclear why, suspicion soon centered on 20-year-old Emily Weaver.
During the initial bathroom incident, Emily had locked herself inside. When someone knocked, "there was no sound whatsoever" according to recorded conversations. "The door was locked they could not get in nobody answered," revealing how Emily isolated herself during this critical time.
Text messages between Emily and her ex-boyfriend Logan revealed prior knowledge of her condition. On March 18, approximately one month before the birth, Emily had written: "I don't know what to do besides keep it a secret and I haven't told anyone about this situation but it's getting harder to keep quiet about."
