Guam – A Grand jury indictment has been handed down against the woman accused of causing the death of her newborn baby and today an emotional Melissa Fuppul answered to the charges.
Melissa Iosimichy Fuppul told authorities that she hid her pregnancy from her family and her boyfriend. Court documents state that her boyfriend did not find out about the baby until after Fuppul had given birth and allegedly discarded the newborn in a bathroom sink before placing “Baby girl Fuppul” in a plastic bag.
Upon her initial arrest she was charged with Manslaughter and Child abuse, but after an autopsy revealed that the baby was born alive and died as a result of asphyxiation, the charges were upgraded through a superseding indictment to include murder and family violence.
For the murder charge the indictment states that Fuppul recklessly caused the death of Baby Girl Fuppul with extreme indifference to the value of human life.
She is also charged with Family violence in that she recklessly caused and attempted to cause bodily injury to the newborn.
In court Fuppul nodded her head acknowledging her understanding of the charges and maintained her innocence.
A motion for her release will be heard tomorrow despite her attorney Curtis Van De Veld arguing that she did not have counsel when bail was set and the bail amount was only established to hold her in custody.
Van de Veld has also filed a motion to declare Fuppul an indigent, which would mean that the court would pay for her attorney fees.
The criminal trial setting is set for July 16.
