A New Jersey woman has been arrested after she allegedly gave birth to a male child in secret, killed him, then discarded his body in a dumpster, according to a Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office affidavit of probable cause.
McClain reportedly waived her Miranda rights and confessed to law enforcement after being apprehended. The following is an abbreviated description of the events that allegedly took place, according to McClain’s reported confession summarized in the affidavit.
At approximately 4 a.m. on Thursday, March 29, 18-year-old Jada McClain gave birth to a child while in the bathroom of her residence in Neptune Township, New Jersey. After cleaning the newborn male in the shower and placing him on her bed, McClain allegedly applied pressure to the infant’s chest with her hands in order to end his life.
McClain reportedly called the infant’s alleged father, 19-year-old Quaimere Mohammed, told him that she had given birth to the child she named “Legend,” then wrapped the deceased infant in a blanket, which she then placed in a bag, and deposited in the back seat of her vehicle.
McClain allegedly picked up Mohammed in her vehicle and drove to the beach as well as Mohammed’s place of residence, spending approximately an hour at each location. She then drove to an Asbury Park apartment building where Mohammed exited the car and disposed of the deceased infant in a dumpster, according to the document.
The affidavit explains that on April 4, a friend of McClain alerted authorities of the infant’s birth and suspected murder after McClain sent her photos of the infant lying on the bed.
The friend reportedly claimed that in November, she was with McClain in a Kmart when McClain took a pregnancy test. The outcome of the test was apparently unclear. In February, McClain allegedly revealed her growing stomach to her friend and said that she was attempting to terminate the fetus by smoking, drinking, and ingesting drugs.
According to the affidavit, McClain said that she had considered an abortion, but didn’t proceed, possibly because she was underage and didn’t want her mother to know she was pregnant.
McClain also allegedly stated that days before delivering the infant, she and Mohammed had run through potential scenarios, including post-birth termination.
The Asbury Park Police Department checked the footage from the apartment building where the infant’s remains were allegedly dumped and confirmed that McClain’s Volkswagen Jetta pulled up at around 9:30 a.m. on the 29th, and that Mohammed can be seen exiting the car and disposing of a bag, states the document.
According to PIX11, Jada McClain and Quaimere Mohammed first appeared in court on Wednesday.
The Asbury Park Press (APP) reports that during Wednesday’s hearing, several horrifying text messages sent between McClain and Mohammed were read by attorney Steven E. Nelson.
“I was the one who took his last breath. I had to do it alone, and that’s what hurts me the most,” wrote McClain. Mohammed replied that it “eats me alive 24/7.” McClain also wrote that she “didn’t even get to kiss him when he was alive.”
Nelson argued that his client and McClain “labored and cried hysterically” while at the beach, and couldn’t afford an abortion. He attempted to paint a picture of a frightened young couple who made terrible decisions under duress.
On Friday, despite pleas from Mohammed’s attorney, a judge ordered that the suspect remain in Monmouth County jail pending a trial. According to a Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office press release, Mohammed faces charges of “second degree Disturbing or Desecrating Human Remains.”
McClain faces charges of “first degree Murder and second degree Disturbing or Desecrating Human Remains,” according to the press release, and her detention hearing is scheduled for April 17.