Laurens County woman charged after baby remains found in Fountain Inn apartment

Police arrested a Laurens County woman after baby remains recently were found in a Fountain Inn apartment complex.

Jamie Melissa Wilson, 41, of Gray Court, was charged Friday with homicide by child neglect, according to a warrant. She caused the death of her newborn child by failing to provide it with adequate care, resulting in its death, the warrant said.

Laurens County deputies were handling a routine eviction Monday at Fountain Hill apartments on Chapman Road when they discovered the remains, said Chief Deputy Jarvis Reeder of the Sheriff's Office. The remains were found inside a container, which was inside another container in the bedroom area of the apartment, Fountain Inn Police Chief Keith Morton said Tuesday.

Morton said an interview with Wilson revealed the baby was born around October 2016 and was hidden within a hoodie that was inside a trash bag, which was inside a tote.  

Interviews with Wilson also revealed the baby was born, then stopped breathing, police said. Instead of seeking medical attention, Wilson concealed the body, Morton said.

"It was just diligent investigative work with the Fountain Inn Police Department, the Greenville County Coroner's Office and SLED's Child Fatality Unit," Morton said, adding that Wilson had been a person of interest from the beginning.

On Wednesday, Laurens County Coroner Nick Nichols said the body had decomposed for nearly a year, estimating that the baby was about 38 weeks. Nichols said he was unable to determine the gender of the child.