By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Centralia police say a 25-year-old woman they arrested today gave birth to a baby about halfway through her pregnancy and then cut off its head with a knife.
Officers arrested Laura Lynn Hickey, 25, of Centralia, and booked her into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree murder.
Today’s arrest follows a week-long investigation into an incident that began at the Peppertree Motor Inn and RV Park on Alder Street in Centralia.
Neighbors called 911 just before 1 a.m. last Wednesday after hearing Hickey calling for help from her residence, according to police.
She was taken by ambulance to Providence Centralia Hospital where she told doctors she was having a miscarriage, police said. The examination revealed she had given birth, and she said she spontaneously aborted the fetus during the night, according to police.
Centralia police say she admitted giving birth, and emergency room staff immediately called police and emergency responders to check the welfare of a possible fetus at the woman’s home.
Officers found the deceased male baby in a container under the sink.
Hickey lives in a fifth-wheel trailer at the RV park.
Centralia Police Officer John Panco said Hickey had said she was about 21 weeks along in her pregnancy. The pathologist confirmed she was roughly 21 weeks along, Panco said today.
Panco said the preliminary findings from an autopsy indicated the baby was alive at the time of its birth. The examination also indicated it suffered fatal injuries, decapitation, that were intentionally inflicted, according to Panco.
“A knife was used,” he said.
Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said today he expects to charge Hickey with “at least” first-degree murder.
“The pathologist said it appeared the baby was born alive and was a viable fetus,” Meyer said.
The Lewis County Coroner’s Office said today neither they, nor the forensic pathologist Dr. Emmanuel Lacsina have made a determination on the cause or manner of death.
Chief Deputy Coroner Dawn Harris said the autopsy was conducted last week.
They are awaiting toxicology and microscopic test, procedures routinely done with autopsies, according to Harris. The results could take at least eight weeks, she said.
Panco said Hickey named the boy Caleb Jacob Hickey.
He said she has three children who don’t live with her, as they have been taken into state custody.
Hickey was interviewed at the police station today and then taken to the jail in Chehalis.
Meyer said she is expected to go before a judge tomorrow afternoon.
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Read “News brief: ‘Remains’ found under sink after apparent miscarriage to be examined by coroner” from Wednesday March 2, 2011 at 11:28 a.m. here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I Knew Larah Lynn Hickey And Her Children…I Dont Understand Why She Was Aloud To Have Another Child After Her TWO daughters Were Taken Away…Not 3 Like SOME articals Say, This Woman Desurves Life In Prison Without Porrole…And If She Gets Out She Desurves To Be Decapitated And Stuffed Under A Sink, And I Wouldnt Doubt She Used Meth During The Whole Pregnancy Cuz When I Knew Her She Couldnt Pull Her Head Out Of The Crank Bag If Her Life Depended On IT, The Father Of Her Daughters NEEDS To Pull His Fucking Head Out Too And Fight For Those Children…..Her Daughters Are With The Same People That Did That Too Her, They Desurve To Be With People Who Really do Love Them And Care About Them Id Adopt Them If I Could, I Just Had A Son Of My Own And I Find It Repulsive That She Did This, I Always Knew She Had Issues But NEVER Thought Shed Be This Low……But I Was Wrong…I Hope She Fuckin Fries
Mother of Two,
how in the world does this now show that abortion up to 24 weeks isnt murder?? If its a CHILD born at 21 weeks its a CHILD in the womb at 21 weeks… murder is murder. Reguardless of whatever “right” women think they have to kill their unborn children.
Are you aware of how abortions are preformed on unborn babies before 24 weeks? let me enlighten you…. a scapel is incerted into the babies brain, swirlled around, and then the baby is cut up and taken out in peices… but regardless its a baby. No difference between that and whats happened here. Murder all the same.
Linda- Are you NUTS, feel sorry for her???? She has had three other children that have been taken away from her! It has nothing to do with mental health! If you have Mental health issues and get your kids taken away they give free services where as if you abuse your kids or take drugs and neglect them then you are on your own.
Jennifer- Many Women died not just for your right to choose to have children or not but also to vote and have jobs, and credit, among many other things. None of which have to do with a women decapitating her child! She could have gone to a clinic until she was 24 weeks along, But she choose to pretend she miscarried to get sympathy and probably money from strangers to go and get more drugs! because i am sure this will be her defense in court she was high on something and she will get to live in a mental institution on our tax paying dime, instead of hanging her! Since int he state of Washington you can still be hung! but again she will not be put to death by the state because Since 1904, 78 persons have been executed in Washington, none of whom were women!
This is just an opinion but I think that when we as a country told women that “Abortion is ok because it’s your body, and after all its just tissue.” it really sent a message, maybe a spiritual message that caused women to stop feeling nurturing emotions toward their own babies. I am a mother of five, and I cannot even imagine doing that. Part of me feels angry with this person, the other part pity’s her because children are such a profound blessing and she will never know what she has deprived herself of. Whatever happens to her I hope people will think about praying for some healing in our beloved country.
I don’t feel one ounce of pity for the mother that committed this horrific crime. There is plenty of Mental Health Services; that is one thing they have NOT taken away from the poor.
I’ve recently had a child at 25 weeks along and spent 105 days in the NICU praying for her survival and she survived the NICU. I could not even imagine losing her when she was born, nor can I understand how anyone could kill a baby on purpose.
It’s NOT a fetus at this stage; it’s a REAL baby that can survive. Technology is wonderful now-days.
There’s a question to ponder. Did she induce the labor just to kill the baby? Why not go full term and just adopt… Hell she lost her other three kids to the State, she may as well of gotten fixed and prevented this murder. She is clearly not suited to have kids to begin with.
She’s a cold blooded B**** for doing this. The state should decapitate her… A head for a head
maybe we should look at the fact that the mental health services here in chehalis/centralia really STINK for the poor. Maybe if she had access to proper care early enough this would not have happened. I feel so sorry for her and her family.
Wow. They live amongst us.