By Brian Anderson
San Ramon Valley Times

Oct. 30, 1999

SAN RAMON — A San Ramon girl accused of dumping her newborn baby in a garbage can at her family's home in August was arrested at school Friday on a homicide charge, police said.

Michelle Nicole Huey, 17, was transported to Juvenile Hall, where she later denied the charge before Judge Lois Haight. She was ordered to remain in custody until at least a mid-November hearing.

Although the Times does not normally identify juvenile suspects, it is doing so in this case because of the severity of the charge.

The California High School student was called to the principal's office shortly after 9 a.m. and taken into custody by two San Ramon police officers, officials said.

Huey appeared with her attorney in a Martinez courtroom about 2:15 p.m.

With her parents sitting quietly in the gallery behind her, Huey sat motionless as Deputy District Attorney Robert Burke argued that she should remain in Juvenile Hall because of the severity of the charge. He also contended she was "involved with" a young man in San Francisco and another in Canada, and for that reason could possibly leave the area before her case is heard.

"Obviously this case is of an extremely serious nature," Burke said. "This is more than an unfortunate situation; this is murder."

Attorney William Murphy said his client has made no attempt to leave the area and has been living a relatively normal life.

She is enrolled in advanced placement classes, has been available when police went to her home and can be trusted in the custody of her parents, Murphy argued.

"She's not a flight risk, her mental condition is fairly stable," he said. "I don't know what benefit will be derived from detaining her in this facility until the next hearing.

"It's just one of those things that's been happening in our society lately and has to be addressed in this courtroom."

Huey sat quietly at the defense table as the judge ruled that she would remain in custody until a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 16.

Her parents showed little emotion and declined to comment after the ruling.

Juvenile court proceedings are normally closed to the public, but the case was open because the charge is murder.

The arrest and hearing were the culmination of a months-long investigation into the Aug. 21 birth and death of the newborn girl.

Police learned of the birth after Huey was taken to San Ramon Regional Medical Center late Aug. 21 complaining of pains associated with her menstrual cycle. Doctors determined she had recently had a baby and told her mother, who called her husband at home.

Huey's father searched the house, ultimately finding the baby in a garbage can.

Police went to the house, where they later found evidence that a baby had been born in the family's bathroom.

An autopsy revealed that the baby was born alive, and the official cause of death was listed as exposure.

The parents, who were not home at the time of the birth, told investigators they were unaware their daughter was pregnant.

Contra Costa County sheriff's detectives forwarded their case to the District Attorney's Office in the middle of September. The arrest warrant was issued Thursday.

Officials said charges were not filed earlier because of the many intricacies of the case that needed to be carefully mulled over.

The arrest came on a day of big celebration at California High. Students marched through town for the homecoming parade that was followed Friday evening by the football game. A fancy-dress homecoming dance is planned for tonight at the school.

Jessie Haskins, 17, a senior at Cal High, said she heard about the arrest Friday afternoon.

"Ever since news spread (after the death), no one really knew who it was until about a week ago," said Haskins, who is an acquaintance of Huey. "She's a really nice girl; everybody knew her."

Police said Huey did not resist, and classes at the San Ramon school were not disrupted.

"We don't go to the classroom," said Detective Sgt. Pete Slaviero. "They just had the administrators ask her to report to the office. We do it very low-key when it involves students."

The National Association of Social Workers estimates that 5,000 babies, both dead and alive, are abandoned each year. By contrast, about 4 million babies are born in the United States each year.

Charges in newborns' deaths

October 1999: Kelli Moye of Poplar Grove, Ill., 19, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of her newborn after it was left on a neighbor's porch on a freezing day in March 1996.

December 1998: Kanika Wells, 19, of Sacramento, was charged with homicide in connection with the death of her newborn girl in November 1998. The baby was found stuffed in a cosmetic case in her home.

September 1998: Linda Huynh, 15, of Pearland, Texas, gave birth at home. The baby was left in a trash bin. An autopsy concluded the death was caused by head trauma and possible asphyxiation. She was sentenced to three years in a juvenile correctional facility.

June 1997: Melissa Drexler, 18, of New Jersey gave birth in the bathroom at her senior prom, strangled the baby and returned to the dance floor. Drexler was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 1998.

May 1997: USC student Linda Chu, 20, gave birth in a dorm room and dumped her newborn down a garbage chute. Chu said the baby died after hitting its head on the shower floor. On Oct. 15, she was sentenced to 10 years in state prison.

November 1996: Amy Grossberg, 18, gave birth to a boy in a Newark, Del., motel. Her boyfriend, 18-year-old Brian Peterson Jr., helped with the delivery. The baby was found dead of a skull fracture. Grossberg was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Peterson received a two-year sentence.