Lekesha Lemelle is an alleged killer from Louisiana whose newborn would be found dead in a porta potty
According to police reports 911 received a phone call that someone had given birth at a Waffle House in Gretna Louisiana
When officers arrived at the Waffle House they would encounter Lekesha Lemelle who would tell them that she had given birth however she could not remember what the newborns condition was nor how long ago she had given birth
Officers were directed to a porta potty down the road where they would find the body of the newborn
Lekesha Lemelle would be arrested and has been charged with second degree murder
Lekesha Lemelle News
A disturbing 911 call audio captured the moment a Jefferson Parish Waffle House employee reported that a woman had left her newborn baby in a porta-potty in Gretna.
The woman, identified as Lekesha Lemelle, gave birth to a baby boy in a porta-potty in Gretna.
Lemelle is facing a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the case, according to Gretna Police.
Lekesha Lemelle is currently in the hospital.
Police say they responded to the call of a woman giving birth at Waffle House on 52 Westbank Expressway.
When they arrived on the scene, police say Lemelle told officers that she gave birth to a baby but didn’t know how long ago or what the baby’s condition was
Police say they were directed down the street from the Waffle House to a porta-potty in the Westside Shopping Center.
That’s where they say they found a newborn, dead in the tank.
Police say an autopsy revealed the baby was alive at birth.
“The coroner thinks a healthy kid. The kid could be alive and well, living a productive life, had a chance of something as opposed to the way it was,” said Jason DiMarco, Deputy Chief of Police for Gretna PD.
According to DiMarco, when officers arrived on scene, they found Lemelle with blood on her pants.
Lekesha Lemelle had told Waffle House employees that she had given birth.
“They opened up the porta-potty at the bottom of the tank, they found a newborn, appeared to be lifeless. They tried life-saving measures child was pronounced dead,” said DiMarco. “This isn’t anything you can prepare for, this isn’t something you expect to see, a newborn — it’s horrifying.”
DiMarco said Lemelle was full term and delivered one week early. He said to his knowledge, Lemelle did not ask for help for the baby.
“In this state, you can take a child, from infancy to 60 days no questions asked, take them to a police station, firehouse, medical facility, as long as you give them to a person, there are no questions asked, you won’t be prosecuted,” said DiMarco.
Rongelia Steadman works at the Waffle House.
“She left the baby in the porta-potty and came in and asked for an ambulance for herself,” said Steadman.
According to Steadman, their cook went to the porta-potty.
“It’s crazy. She was sleeping over here every day, I mean, we used to feed her and everything because she was eating out of a dumpster,” said Steadman. “You could have brought the baby to the fire station, police station, anywhere instead of having the baby in the porta-potty and leaving it.”
Steadman said she has nine grandchildren and wished Lemelle had sought help.
“You could have given that child to anybody, you could have came up here by us where you asked us for food and help,” said Steadman.
DiMarco said he has never seen anything like this in his career.
“It’s shocking for anybody; we have seen horrific things,” said DiMarco. “You don’t expect to see a newborn, it’s horrifying.”
Gretna police find newborn baby dead in a porta-potty, after responding to a call at Waffle House
