Woman charged with concealing death of unborn child

Mar. 11—HAZLETON — A woman from Beaver Meadows is facing charges she concealed the death of her unborn child discovered in a plastic bag during a traffic stop in Hazleton.

Mikayla Rose Sando, 25, was stopped for a vehicle violation by state police at Hazleton in the area of South Church and West Mine streets on May 18, 2023, according to court records.

Sando was detained on suspicion of driving under the influence.

During the traffic stop, troopers observed drug packaging materials inside the vehicle. Sando consented to a search of her vehicle resulting in troopers discovering a human fetus in a bowl inside a plastic bag, court records say.

An autopsy by forensic pathologist Dr. Gary Ross revealed the fetus, a male, was approximately 21 to 22 weeks gestation.

Court records say Sando during an interview with state police claimed she learned she was pregnant at 16 weeks and intended to have an abortion at a Planned Parenthood facility in Allentown.

Sando further admitted she ordered a pill to terminate the pregnancy and gave birth to a stillborn fetus at her residence while she also used cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl, court records say.

After Sando gave birth to the stillborn fetus, she intended to flush down a toilet but realize the fetus was too large, according to court records.

State police in court records say Sando placed the fetus in a plastic bag that remained inside her vehicle for several days.

Sando is charged with concealing the death of an unborn child, which was filed with District Judge Edward Lewis in Hazleton on Thursday. A preliminary hearing is scheduled on April 22.

Reporters note: District Judge Edward Lewis is not related to this writer.