Florida Student Charged with Murder After Newborn Found Drowned in Toilet; Phone Searches Reveal Casey Anthony Images
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — A grand jury has indicted a 20-year-old Florida college student on first-degree murder charges following the death of her newborn daughter, in a case that investigators say unfolded with chilling premeditation.
Anne Mae Demegillo of Palm Coast now faces charges of premeditated murder, aggravated child abuse, and failure to report a death with intent to conceal evidence. The charges were upgraded from initial aggravated manslaughter counts after a digital forensics investigation uncovered what prosecutors describe as a pattern of deliberate planning.
According to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, the investigation began in early March when deputies responded to a welfare check. Demegillo allegedly had sent messages stating she had secretly been pregnant and had unexpectedly delivered at home. When authorities arrived, she claimed uncertainty about the pregnancy but described delivering the child into a bathroom toilet during early morning hours.
"The evidence tells a different story," Sheriff Rick Staly stated in a press conference. "Our digital forensics team recovered searches on her phone for 'foods to decrease fertility,' 'Palm Coast OBGYN,' and 'newborn premature babies.' Most disturbingly, we found saved images of Casey Anthony alongside photographs of newborns."
The reference to Casey Anthony—the Florida mother acquitted in 2011 of murdering her two-year-old daughter Caylee—suggests, according to investigators, research into child death investigations. Sheriff Staly emphasized that Demegillo "made a conscious choice to watch her infant drown rather than lift the child from the toilet."
Authorities allege Demegillo hid the newborn in a duffle bag in her closet, attended a theater performance in New Smyrna Beach, then later buried the infant in a shallow backyard grave. At no point, investigators say, did she seek emergency medical assistance.
The case has reignited discussions about Florida's Safe Haven Law, which allows parents to surrender newborns anonymously at designated locations. "This tragedy was preventable," Sheriff Staly noted. "Help was available just minutes away."
Demegillo remains held without bond at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. Her attorney has not responded to requests for comment.
Community Reaction:
"As a mother of two, I'm physically sickened," said Teresa Rodriguez, 34, a Palm Coast childcare worker. "How can you just go to a show after that? Those search histories show this wasn't panic—it was calculation."
"We need to understand what leads a young woman to this point," countered Dr. Marcus Chen, 52, a clinical psychologist specializing in perinatal mental health. "While nothing excuses the outcome, we must examine the isolation, fear, and lack of support that can create such desperate situations."
"The Casey Anthony connection is telling," observed retired prosecutor David Fischer, 68. "It suggests she was researching legal outcomes, not seeking help. The premeditation argument will be central to the prosecution."
"Where were the people around her?" asked student activist Maya Johnson, 21, her voice trembling with anger. "Yes, she's responsible, but how does a 20-year-old hide a pregnancy completely? This is a systemic failure wrapped in a personal tragedy. Everyone failed that baby."