Las Vegas NowWoman Accused of Killing her Infant Son

Woman Accused of Killing her Infant Son

For nine months, 19-year-old Carmela Camero kept a secret. Police say she didn't want anyone to know she was pregnant. She should be loving and nurturing her baby boy, but instead she's sitting in jail, charged with murder.

Henderson Police say the child was born and soon suffocated at Camero's home near Black Mountain. "A woman gave birth in her home Sunday night and then contacted a hospital Monday saying the child was having problems breathing," said Henderson Police Spokesman Keith Paul. "We went to the house on Monday and found that the newborn was dead. At that point, we started a death investigation."

Officials released little information on the case, but details emerged from Camaro's arrest report. Camaro revealed she blocked the baby's ability to breathe knowing "he would eventually die." Her motive was clear.

Read the arrest report

Camaro confessed she didn't want her mother to find out she was pregnant, fearing "she would be kicked out of her house" and "would have to live in the ghetto with her son" and "they would have a terrible life."

"What a terrible reason to actually kill your own child after giving birth just minutes before. It's very sad," said Scott Allison with the Clark County Fire Department.

Allison says the alleged murder could have been averted if Camaro would have dropped off the baby at a fire station, police station, or hospital under Nevada's Safe haven law. "It was put into service back in 2001 for the very reason to protect the life of the newborn baby -- to give that baby a chance to live rather than just throwing it away," he said.

Camero told detectives she slept with the dead baby until the next day when she called the hospital. She declined an interview request from Channel 8.