Florida Woman Pleads Guilty After Newborn Asphyxiated During Home Birth While She “Just Sat There,” Records Show

WEST BOCA RATON, FLORIDA — A Florida woman has pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter of a child and neglect of a child causing great bodily harm after prosecutors said her newborn son died of asphyxiation during a home birth in which she did not seek help and “just sat there” as the baby struggled to breathe.

Court records show Bianca R. Desouza, 23, entered the plea on Thursday in Palm Beach County, acknowledging responsibility for the death of her infant son on May 2, 2022. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Desouza faces nearly 15 years to as many as 45 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for January 29, 2026.

Emergency Call Leads to Discovery of Unresponsive Newborn

Deputies with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Rescue personnel were dispatched at 4:56 p.m. to a residence in an unincorporated area of West Boca Raton, roughly 45 miles north of Miami, after receiving a report of an unresponsive infant.

The 911 caller identified herself as the baby’s grandmother, telling dispatchers she had walked into her daughter’s room and found the child not moving. The newborn was rushed to West Boca Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

At the time, Desouza was 19 years old.

Defendant Describes Home Birth and Inaction

Investigators later learned Desouza had given birth alone in her bed earlier that day. According to a probable cause affidavit, she told detectives the delivery “happened quickly” and that she held the baby until he stopped crying.

Rather than calling for assistance, Desouza told investigators she left the newborn on the bed, took a shower, and then went to lie down in her mother’s bed.

“She said the birth happened quickly, and [she] did not know [he] was dead until her mom came in,” the affidavit states.

Desouza later told detectives she was confused by going into labor unexpectedly and that giving birth “didn’t hurt.” She said she sat and watched the baby cry, explaining she “didn’t know what to do,” so she “just looked at him.”

“I just didn’t do anything and I’m so mad,” Desouza said, according to investigators. “It was like my body stopped working.”

When asked what she wished she had done differently, Desouza replied: “I would have called for help.”

Medical Examiner Rules Death a Homicide

The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner determined the infant’s manner of death was homicide and the cause of death was asphyxia, with contributing factors including chest compression.

The medical findings revealed that Desouza gave birth through the leg hole of boxer shorts she kept on, which likely pressed the baby’s face against her thigh, restricting his ability to breathe.

Investigators concluded that Desouza failed to reposition herself or the baby, remove clothing, pick him up, seek medical care, or otherwise ensure the newborn could breathe.

“[Desouza] did not attempt to create an environment where the neonate could breathe without restriction during the birth process and failed to ensure his wellbeing after being born,” the charging document states.

Mental Health History Raised After the Death

Following the incident, Desouza was admitted to Fort Lauderdale Behavioral Health Center, where she reported a history of self-harm and severe depression, according to court records. She also told staff she had stopped taking her prescribed Lexapro roughly two weeks before the birth.

Desouza’s mother told investigators her daughter had psychosis and bipolar disorder and believed she may have suffered a psychotic break. She also said Desouza had been extremely stressed about placing the baby for adoption, as she and her husband had discussed giving the child up.

Desouza was released from psychiatric care on May 11, 2022, and later provided additional statements to investigators.

Arrest Comes More Than a Year Later

Despite the 2022 death, Desouza was not arrested until December 2023, when she was formally charged by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

During interviews, Desouza denied intentionally harming the baby, telling detectives, “No, I would never hurt him.” She said she believed the baby had fallen asleep after crying and did not realize anything was wrong until her mother discovered him.

Potential Sentence and Next Steps

With her guilty plea now entered, Desouza faces a substantial prison term. The plea agreement sets a minimum sentence just under 15 years and allows for a maximum of 45 years behind bars.

Prosecutors emphasized that the case centered not on a complicated medical emergency, but on a failure to act when immediate help could have saved a life.

As sentencing approaches, the case stands as a stark reminder of the dangers of unassisted childbirth, untreated mental health crises, and the irreversible consequences when emergency care is delayed or ignored.

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