A Norwalk woman was sentenced to a maximum of 50 years in prison at the Warren County Justice Center Monday afternoon, after pleading guilty to second-degree murder for the death of her baby. In 2023, Norwalk Police arrested 25-year-old Megan Staude of Norwalk and her 64-year-old father, Rodney Staude, after Megan gave birth, and after days of neglect the pair placed the baby in a trash bag and left it in a ditch.

Rodney Staude also entered into a plea agreement for a second-degree murder charge, and has been sentenced to a maximum of 50 years in prison.

The Norwalk Police Department released a victim impact statement regarding the crime, read the full statement below.