Teen pregnancy leads to murder

Cassidy Goodson (courtesy of Polk County Sheriff’s Department)

If ever there was a reason for more sexual education for our youth, it is this story.

Cassidy Goodson, 14, of Polk County, Florida, is accused of murdering her newborn baby and hiding the fetus in a shoebox. A grand jury indicted Goodson last week on charges of first-degree murder and child abuse, and she is going to be tried as an adult.

If convicted, the teenager could face life in prison.

On September 19, Goodson gave birth to a son in her bathroom, used scissors to pry him out and then choked the child until he died. She hid the fetus in a shoebox and buried it in some dirty clothes in her bedroom.

Goodson’s mother noticed some blood around the bathroom toilet and rushed her daughter to the hospital. During the visit, Goodson admitted to having a miscarriage and said she flushed the fetus earlier. Medical staff confirmed that Goodson showed signs of a miscarriage and she soon returned home.

Several days later, Goodson’s mom collected some laundry from her room, including a plastic bag filled with soiled clothing. When she sorted through the clothes, she discovered the fetus and immediately phoned her sister, who called the police.

An autopsy revealed that the baby was 9.5 pounds and was breathing until Goodson beat him with the scissors and choked the life out of him. When police asked why she did it, Goodson said she was “afraid her relationship with her parents would change.”

I suppose it’s too late to prevent that now, Cassidy.