By Shereen Siewert
The mother of a newborn child whose body was discovered wrapped inside a tied plastic bag and stowed in a vehicle was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison, but will be eligible for early release after 30 years.
Marylinn Feher, 24, was was sentenced Wednesday afternoon in Wood County Circuit Court. In September, she was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide in connection with the boy’s death.
A charge of child neglect causing death was dismissed but considered at sentencing.
The charges were filed June 3, 2019, nearly two months after the child was found dead. In a news release, sheriff’s officials said they were called at 10:11 a.m. on April 6, 2019 to Marshfield Medical Center for a report of a possible missing newborn child. Officers searched the parking lot and discovered the child, whose body had been wrapped in a bath towel and placed inside the plastic bag, inside the rear cargo area of a vehicle. The couple arrived at the hospital at about 2 a.m., allegedly leaving the baby in the vehicle.
The child was pronounced dead about six hours after being discovered.
Feher admitted in court she strangled the baby shortly after birth, which was also revealed in autopsy reports. Feher also admitted to striking the baby’s head on a toilet multiple times.
The child’s father, 21-year-old Allen Rice, is not charged with homicide but instead faces charges of child neglect leading to death, as well as obstructing an officer. He is due in court Dec. 11 for a plea hearing.
