FORT DODGE, Iowa — EDITOR'S NOTE: This story contains descriptions of an alleged crime that may be disturbing to some.
THE BELOW IS A DEC. 8 UPDATE TO THE ORIGINAL STORY FROM NOV. 29
The mother and father charged in the death of a Fort Dodge baby drowned the newborn shortly after the mother gave birth, according to an affidavit filed by Fort Dodge police.
Brandon Thoma and Taylor Blaha are both facing first-degree murder charges in connection to the baby's death. Thoma is also facing a charge of abuse of a corpse.
According to the affidavit, Blaha gave birth in a bathroom at her apartment on Nov. 16.
Blaha allegedly told police she and Thoma had no intention of keeping the child and planned on allowing Blaha's sister to adopt the baby. However, when the baby started crying, the two were worried neighbors would hear it and call the police.
That's when the parents drowned the baby in the bathtub, according to a criminal complaint.
The document also states Thoma admitted to police he took the baby out of the apartment in a backpack, removed the baby from the backpack and returned to the apartment without the baby.
Police still haven't found the baby's body, despite searching in an area where Thomas indicated he placed the baby.
"Anytime we have something like this, then we immediately respond to it, start trying to gather as much facts as we can. And as we go, we start to create a timeline, you know, try to locate where maybe this potentially happened," Capt. Dennis Quinn with the Fort Dodge Police Department told Local 5 Wednesday, Nov. 30.
Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $1,500 reward for information on the case.
Local 5 will update this story as more information becomes available. Download the We Are Iowa app or subscribe to Local 5's "5 Things to Know" email newsletter for the latest.