NORWALK, IA – An Iowa woman who admitted to killing and abandoning her newborn is set to be sentenced next week, more than two years after the infant’s death shocked the community and led to charges against both her and her father.

Megan K. Staude, 28, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in July under an agreement with prosecutors. She faces up to 50 years in prison when her sentence is handed down on September 22. Staude was initially charged with first-degree murder but accepted a plea deal to the reduced charge.

Staude’s father, Rodney Staude, 67, also stands accused in the case. He is charged with first-degree murder and is awaiting his own court proceedings. Rodney’s competency to stand trial was in question in 2023, but a judge found him competent in August. He is due in court the same day as his daughter, with a possible trial set for next month.

The disturbing case began when Norwalk police received a tip regarding the welfare of a child on March 8, 2023. The following day, officers discovered the body of a newborn boy inside a trash bag, left along a snowy roadside in Warren County’s 5300 block of Delaware Street. Authorities determined that the baby had been born at the Staudes’ home in late February 2023.

Investigators say that after giving birth, Megan Staude left the newborn in a box, ignoring his cries for two days. Both she and her father allegedly placed the infant—still alive—into a garbage bag and left him in a roadside ditch, where he died.

Concerns about Staude’s pregnancy first surfaced when her coworkers noticed she was no longer pregnant and raised questions about the baby’s whereabouts. Authorities say these concerns sparked the investigation that ultimately led police to the grim discovery.

Neighbors described the Staude household as unsettling, with at least one resident expressing both shock and resignation over the events, citing the atmosphere around the home.

Police noted that the property where the baby was born was deemed unsafe for habitation. Investigators allege Rodney Staude helped dispose of the child rather than turn him over to authorities through Iowa’s Safe Haven law, which allows parents to legally relinquish newborns at designated locations without fear of prosecution.

A cadaver dog from a local search-and-rescue group aided in recovering the child’s body, which had been hidden under the snow.

Law enforcement officials have described the case as both emotional and challenging for all involved. Investigators expressed hope that by bringing attention to the tragedy, more Iowans would become aware of Safe Haven options to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Both Megan and Rodney Staude remain in custody as the legal process continues. Sentencing and further hearings are scheduled for September 22.