Alabama Mom Charged With Manslaughter After Police Find Her Dead, Week-Old Baby Boy In A Shoebox In Her Trunk During Traffic Stop

An Alabama mom has been charged with manslaughter after police found her dead week-old son in a shoebox in her trunk.

Jalesa Gaines was pulled over on Highway 43 in Jackson, Alabama, in November for expired plates.

When police began to question the 24-year-old she gave a false name.

The officer then carried out a search of her car and discovered the tragic scene.

The newborn baby boy was found in the shoebox wrapped in a blanket.

When Gaines’ family and neighbors were interviewed they revealed the young mother had given birth to him just a week before.

At first, Gaines was charged with abuse of a corpse. On Thursday, police confirmed her charges have been upgraded to manslaughter.

Gaines, who has other children, has so far told investigators very little about what had happened to her baby.

‘She hasn’t said a whole lot as far as what may have happened to the baby,’ Jackson Police Chief Jerry Taylor told Fox 10 in November.

‘She said she was on her way to Walmart when she died.’

Taylor added that officers were looking in to whether anyone else should face charges.

He claims there may have been witnesses to the baby’s death.

‘We have a baby who never had the chance to speak for themselves so we’re having to speak for him.

‘We take that very seriously,’ he said.