Utah Mom Admits Killing Six Babies

A Utah mom has admitted killing six babies. Authorities said Megan Huntsman, age 39, killed at least six babies and hid them in boxes inside her garage. Although seven bodies were found, Huntsman was charged with six counts of murder; authorities believe one child was stillborn.

Authorities believe the children were born between 1996 and 2006. Darren West, Huntsman’s estranged husband, made the grisly discovery while he was cleaning out the garage.

Police Captain Michael Roberts said Huntsman and West were married when the babies were born. However, they do not believe West “had any knowledge of the situation.” As reported by ABC News, West was recently released after spending nine years in prison.

Following her arrest, the Utah mom admitted killing six of the babies. Huntsman said she killed the babies at her former residence in Pleasant Grove. She further admitted that all six babies were either suffocated or strangled immediately after they were born.

During her confession, authorities said Huntsman remained “unemotional and matter of fact.”

Huntsman appeared in court on Monday, via closed-circuit video. During the hearing, the judge set her bond at $6 million cash. When her public defender asked her if she understood, she simply replied “that’s fine.”

Pleasant Grove Detective Dan Beckstrom said he has “never seen anything like this in [his] career.”

Utah County Attorney Jeff Buhman said “this is a heinous, horrible crime.”

Authorities ordered DNA testing to confirm the identity of the dead babies and their parents. Although Megan Huntsman admitted she is the mother, it is unclear whether West fathered all six children. A medical examiner will conduct an investigation to determine the cause of death. However, authorities are fairly certain six of the children were murdered and the seventh was stillborn.

Neighbors were stunned to learn Huntsman concealed seven pregnancies and hid bodies inside her garage. Neighbor SanDee Wall was horrified:

“How can you have a baby and not have evidence and other people know… You can’t plan when a baby is going to come. Just the thought of somebody putting a baby into a box is a heartbreaker.”

Although the Utah mom admitted killing six babies, she did not provide a motive. Authorities said Megan Huntsman shared her home with her three surviving daughters — two young adults and one teen.

Psychology professor Cheryl Meyer said it is not uncommon for teenagers to conceal a pregnancy and kill their baby. However, “these are usually girls who are 17, get pregnant, become scared to death and don’t want to tell their parents.”

As reported by Yahoo News, the behavior is uncommon in grown women, as they have access to more resources and options. Like many other states, Utah has “safe haven” laws, which allow women to surrender newborn children to authorities with no questions asked.

It is unknown why the Utah mom killed six babies. However, authorities are investigating Megan Huntsman’s background and family history.