Woman Arrested for Concealing Infant’s Remains in Doghouse Suitcase
In a shocking turn of events, a woman has been arrested after the skeletal remains of her infant were discovered concealed in a suitcase inside a doghouse. The arrest of Jessica Lynn Weeks took place on September 22, several months after the grim discovery was made.
The Bannock Sheriff’s Department in Idaho received a tip on June 5, informing them about a “deceased infant possibly going to be located in a piece of luggage near the doghouse in the back of the residence” near the town of Downey, Idaho.
The tipster’s incarcerated son revealed to authorities that Weeks was the baby’s mother and that she had avoided going to the hospital for childbirth due to her drug use, according to court documents.
The inmate disclosed that another woman had assisted Weeks in delivering the baby at her home, and a second inmate had witnessed the baby inside a suitcase after the birth. The second inmate corroborated the story, confirming that he had seen Weeks place a purple suitcase inside a doghouse.
Months later, the second inmate was in for a surprise as he was cleaning around the suitcase – an “infant’s leg flopped onto his arm.” The deceased baby was found wrapped in black plastic. He never returned to the house after that eerie discovery.
Law enforcement became aware of warrants for Weeks’ arrest in Franklin County and secured a warrant to search her property. Officers reported smelling the “odor of decomposition” from Weeks’ backyard before they located the doghouse, which contained the “purple carry-on style suitcase.”
Inside, wrapped in a “blueish baby blanket,” they found the newborn’s skeletal remains. Testing later revealed the presence of amphetamines and methamphetamines in the baby’s system. The child was estimated to be between 36 and 40 weeks old at the time of death and displayed no signs of physical trauma.
Weeks was apprehended hiding in a nearby shed.
A text message sent just days before the child’s birth, recovered from Weeks’ phone, stated, “Idek wtf to do bro… and if they turn me in at the hospital, I’m f—– going to prison probably cuz I have warrants…”
The friend who had helped Weeks deliver the baby shared her account, noting that Weeks had shown little interest in the baby during childbirth. She described trying to clear the baby’s airway and provide rescue breaths, and although she believed she felt a pulse, she was unsure.
The friend explained that she put the infant in a suitcase because there was “no other flat surface in the house to place the baby” due to excessive clutter.
Weeks was initially arrested on an outstanding drug warrant, and on September 22, she was charged with felonies related to injury to a child, failure to notify a death, and concealment of evidence. Her court appearance is scheduled for October 5, with a bond set at $50,000.