Iowa daycare worker allegedly gave birth in the bathroom. Hours later, police made a disturbing discovery in a trash can

A 20-year-old daycare worker in Perry, Iowa, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder after allegedly killing her newborn baby girl shortly after giving birth in a facility restroom.

The suspect, identified as Stephanie Ubaldo, was taken into custody on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, following a joint investigation by the Perry Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. The deceased infant was discovered inside a trash bag in a garbage container at Acorns & Oaks Child Care, where Ubaldo worked. Authorities clarified that the infant was not an enrolled client or under the daycare’s care.

The situation began around 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15, when Dallas County Emergency Medical Services responded to a medical emergency at the child care center, located on the Perry Lutheran Home Eden Acres campus.

She kept her family in the dark for months

First responders arrived to treat a female employee, later identified as Ubaldo, who was suffering from severe vaginal bleeding. She was taken to MercyOne West Des Moines hospital for emergency medical treatment.

While at the hospital, Ubaldo reportedly told medical staff that she had given birth in the daycare’s restroom. Hospital staff then alerted law enforcement.

At approximately 6:22 p.m., the Perry Police Department received a report that a premature infant might have been discarded in a trash container at the facility.

When officers arrived to search the daycare, they found a deceased baby girl inside a plastic trash bag in a bathroom garbage can.

According to People, Ubaldo had hidden her pregnancy from family, friends, and coworkers for several months. On the afternoon of Sept. 15, she went into the workplace bathroom and gave birth to the infant prematurely.

Criminal complaints describe what allegedly happened after the birth. Investigators say the baby was born alive and began crying. Ubaldo allegedly told police that she intentionally struck the infant and caused severe injuries to the baby’s face and head in an attempt to stop the crying.

She then allegedly placed the baby inside a plastic trash bag and put her in the garbage container.

Court documents state that Ubaldo intended to clean the restroom and return to her regular shift at the daycare. However, the severe bleeding and complications from the birth prevented her from doing so, leading coworkers to call emergency services.

An autopsy conducted by the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner determined that the infant was between 32 and 36 weeks gestation. The medical examiner documented extensive injuries and abrasions and ruled the death a homicide caused by traumatic injuries.

She’s facing life imprisonment

Ubaldo is being held without bond at the Dallas County Jail. Under Iowa law, first-degree murder is a Class A felony carrying a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole upon conviction.

In a public statement, Perry Police Chief James Archer commended the coordination between local law enforcement, first responders, and medical professionals. He also reminded the public about resources available to women experiencing crisis pregnancies, including Iowa’s Newborn Safe Haven Act.