Smith County, TX – A 27-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with the discovery of her deceased newborn infant inside her home, according to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office.

On Wednesday, authorities charged Esmeralda Duran Rodriguez with abuse of a corpse after deputies found the newborn wrapped in a towel and placed inside a grocery bag in the bathtub.

The investigation began when Rodriguez arrived at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, informing medical staff that she had given birth at home earlier that day.

However, she did not have the child with her.

Deputies were dispatched to the residence off Highway 271, north of Loop 323, where Rodriguez’s brother allowed them to conduct a search.

Evidence in the home suggested that a birth had occurred on a bed, leading investigators to continue their search.

Shortly thereafter, they discovered the infant’s body in the bathroom.

Detectives and crime scene investigators conducted interviews and gathered evidence, including questioning Rodriguez while she remained hospitalized.

Authorities determined that she did not notify anyone of the birth nor seek medical assistance for herself or the infant.

Following their findings, investigators obtained an arrest warrant signed by Judge Austin Reeve Jackson, charging Rodriguez with abuse of a corpse, a state jail felony punishable by up to two years in jail if convicted.

The newborn’s remains have been transported to the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Science in Dallas for an autopsy to determine whether the infant was born alive.

If evidence confirms that the child was born alive, authorities have indicated that charges may be upgraded.

The investigation remains ongoing.