October 03, 2019
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
William Jones, 49, has been charged with concealing the death of a child, conspiracy, and abuse of corpse. Police say his girlfriend, Anita Depedro, 29, gave birth to the couple's stillborn child in March, then allegedly burned the child's remains in a steel barrel.
A man in western Chester County allegedly burned and then buried the remains of of his stillborn baby, police said.
William Jones, 49, of Honey Brook Township, is charged with concealing the death of a child, conspiracy, and abuse of a corpse, the Chester County District Attorney's Office said on Wednesday.
Pennsylvania State police received a report on March 29 after an anonymous call had been placed to Chester County Children and Youth Services. Authorities said the call reported that Jones' girlfriend, Anita Depedro, 29, had given birth to a stillborn child at their home, and that Jones, the biological father of the child, burned its body in a barrel and then buried it.
The child's remains have not been recovered, even after police executed a search warrant and conducted multiple interviews and social media searches, investigators said.
Separately, Jones and Depedro are facing drug offenses for possession with intent to deliver, conspiracy, and other related charges. Jones was arrested on Sept. 26 after officials found him in possession of four ounces of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
“These defendants were pushing poison in the community. And when they were expecting a child, they did nothing to care for the health of the child. When the child was stillborn, the father burned the baby and discarded the child like trash. This is a disturbing and horrific case," First Assistant District Attorney Michael Noone said in the press release.
Jones and Depedro allegedly sold meth to a confidential informant on multiple occasions from June to August from the trailer where they lived.
Jones is in Chester County Prison in lieu of bail. There is an active warrant for Depedro's arrest.
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