What are the charges against Taylor Blaha? Iowa mom gets 50 years in prison for fatally drowning newborn in bathtub
FORT DODGE, IOWA: In a harrowing case that has shocked the nation, a 24-year-old mother from Iowa, Taylor K Blaha, has been sentenced to spend decades behind bars after admitting to the killing of her newborn daughter, Kayleen Lee Blaha.
The tragic incident unfolded last year and has revealed a disturbing chain of events involving methamphetamine use, fear of authorities, and a cold-blooded act of violence.
What are the charges against Taylor Blaha?
District Court Judge Christopher C Polking handed down the sentence on Friday, August 18, ordering Blaha to serve a term of 35 to 50 years for the heart-wrenching slaying of her infant daughter.
Court records reviewed by Law&Crime provide insight into the details of this distressing case.
Blaha, initially charged with first-degree murder, ultimately reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, pleading guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree murder just before her sentencing.
The plea agreement required her to address the court and openly admit her actions on the record.
“On Nov. 16, 2022, in Webster County, Iowa, I gave birth in my apartment to a baby girl. She was born alive,” Blaha confessed, according to reports from The Messenger.
“Around the time she was born, I was using methamphetamine. Brandon Thoma convinced me that if DHS found out about my meth use, they would take my son from me and I would never see him again," she said.
She added, "He convinced me that the only way out of this was to drown the baby in the bathtub. He told me what to do and how to do it. When I tried to take my hands off her, he would put my hands back on her and encourage me to keep going. She died as a result.”
Taylor Blaha's chilling account
The disturbing details of the incident emerged from a sworn affidavit of probable cause obtained by Law&Crime.
Blaha had allegedly gone to Unity Point Trinity Regional Medical Center, where she spoke to an employee at the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS), claiming to have given birth to a baby at her residence and buried the baby at an undisclosed location.
During an interview with a detective, Blaha provided chilling details of the tragic event. She explained that she and Brandon Thoma had initially intended to let Blaha’s sister adopt the newborn girl.
However, their fear of authorities discovering methamphetamine in the baby’s system and losing custody of their 2-year-old son drove them to take a horrifying step.
“Blaha went on to explain that in order to stop the crying the two placed Kayleen in the bathtub, which was about half full of water, and placed both of their hands on the baby’s chest, forcing her underwater, ultimately killing her,” the affidavit stated.
“Blaha also explained that Thoma demonstrated to her how to do this. Blaha advised that once the baby was held underwater, Thoma removed the baby from the bathtub and sat her outside of the tub before ultimately placing her in a plastic storage container, wrapping her in multiple layers of trash bags, and then placing her inside of a black backpack that he carried her out of the apartment in," it added.
Brandon Thoma also implicated
The tragic case has drawn attention not only due to its horrifying nature but also because of the legal consequences. Brandon Thoma, the father of the newborn, has also been implicated in the case.
Last month, Thoma pleaded guilty to child endangerment resulting in death and abuse of a corpse. He had initially faced a first-degree murder charge.
Judge Polking's words during the sentencing resonated deeply, “A parent is entrusted to protect, nurture and care for their child. You betrayed that trust and instead murdered a helpless newborn baby."
"While your sentence is mandatory, considering the nature and circumstances of the offense and the need to protect the community and deter others from such crimes, the sentence is still appropriate in the eyes of the court," Judge Polking added.
Assistant Attorney General Ryan Baldridge offered his perspective on the case's tragedy, stating, “It’s difficult and tragic any time a life is lost, but in this instance that life was as innocent and as helpless as they come."
He added, "The agreement with Blaha permitted the state to have a solid case against Thoma while also ensuring that Blaha suffered a consequence for her abhorrent conduct.”
Blaha has also been ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution to her daughter’s legal heirs. The legal proceedings continue, as Thoma is scheduled to be sentenced on September 1.