Mother, who gave “sudden” birth at home and just looked at her baby boy while he suffocated to death just because she “didn’t know what to do,” pleaded guilty
Florida – In a deeply disturbing case out of Florida, a 23-year-old woman, identified as B. Desouza, has pleaded guilty to two felonies following the death of her newborn son, who suffocated shortly after a home birth. At just 19 years old when the tragedy occurred, Desouza now faces a potential prison sentence of 15 to 45 years after admitting guilt to aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm.
The charges stem from a deeply distressing chain of events on May 2, 2022. Around 4:56 p.m., emergency responders rushed to a home in West Boca Raton after receiving a 911 call from Desouza’s mother. She had just walked into her daughter’s bedroom and discovered the infant unresponsive. Paramedics transported the baby to a nearby hospital, but doctors were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Investigators later uncovered that Desouza had gone into labor a day before her scheduled induction. She gave birth alone in her bed, still wearing boxer shorts, and never took steps to reposition the baby or call for help. According to a probable cause affidavit, Desouza said she cradled the newborn in her arms until he stopped crying—then simply left him on the bed while she took a shower. Afterward, she lay down in her mother’s room, not alerting anyone.
“She said the birth happened quickly, and [she] did not know [he] was dead until her mom came in,” the affidavit stated. In interviews with detectives, Desouza described herself as overwhelmed and confused. She said the labor didn’t hurt and that she “just sat there and watched him cry.” In her own words: “I didn’t know what to do, so I just looked at him.” She admitted, “I just didn’t do anything and I’m so mad. It was like my body stopped working.”
The medical examiner determined the baby had died from asphyxia due to chest compression. The autopsy concluded that the infant’s face had likely been pressed against Desouza’s thigh, trapped by the boxer shorts she never removed during the birth. Authorities said she never tried to move, adjust her clothing, or offer any care to the newborn. “[Desouza] did not attempt to move herself, remove clothing, reposition the baby, pick up, comfort, seek medical attention, or otherwise care for the child,” investigators noted in the charging documents. The scene painted a grim picture of total inaction during the most critical moments of the infant’s life.
In the days following the incident, Desouza was admitted to a behavioral health center, where she revealed a long-standing battle with depression and self-harm. She disclosed that she had stopped taking her prescribed antidepressant two weeks prior. Her mother later informed detectives that Desouza had also been diagnosed with psychosis and bipolar disorder and had been under immense stress over the planned adoption of the baby. Desouza remained hospitalized for nine days and was released on May 11, 2022. Her arrest came more than a year later, in December 2023, after an extensive investigation by the sheriff’s office led to formal charges. She entered a guilty plea in late 2025.
Now, with sentencing scheduled for January 29, 2026, Desouza awaits the court’s decision. She faces between just under 15 years and up to 45 years in state prison. The case has stirred public outcry and raised painful questions about mental health, isolation, and maternal care. In the end, the story is one of unbearable silence. A newborn’s cries faded without a hand to help, and a young woman—paralyzed by confusion, illness, and fear—made no move. One life ended in those still moments. Another stands in the shadow of judgment.
