ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – UPDATE 7/21, 4 P.M.
A warrant from the Commonwealth of Virginia reveals that investigators want to collect DNA from a woman who was found carrying a dead baby at Tanglewood Mall on Sunday to determine if she is the child’s mother.
34-year-old Mandy Lacy is charged with assaulting a police officer after she was reportedly found carrying a dead baby around with her in a shopping bag at Tanglewood Mall in Roanoke on Sunday.
The warrant shows that in addition to the charge for assaulting an officer, 34-year-old Mandy Lacy could be facing additional, pending charges, including murder.
The Commonwealth’s warrant was issued in relation to “Violation of Section 18.2-32 of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended, to wit: Murder.”
According to the warrant, the dead baby was found wrapped in a jacket in a small grocery bag that Lacy had been carrying. She was arrested for assault on police and drunk in public.
Authorities requested Lacy’s DNA in order to determine if the dead baby was her child.
Roanoke County officials said Tuesday that the baby’s body was partially decomposed, making identification difficult. Authorities are awaiting the medical examiner’s findings.
The warrant described Lacy was a transient in Roanoke County and Roanoke City.
UPDATE, 7/21, 11:30 a.m.
The mugshot of the woman charged in connection to this incident has been released.
Police have identified the woman as 34-year-old Mandy Lavonne Lacy. She has been charged with assaulting a police officer. Additional charges are pending.
According to search warrants, police are DNA testing Lacy to see if she is the mother of the baby.
UPDATE, 7/20, 4 P.M.:
Roanoke County officials say the body of the baby found dead on Sunday in a shopping bag at Tanglewood Mall was partially decomposed, making it difficult to determine the age and sex.
Detectives are now waiting for the medical examiner’s results, according to Roanoke County officials.
UPDATE:
Police say the body of a child has been found.
According to officers, when they arrived at Tanglewood Mall for a report of the woman behaving erratically, she assaulted one officer who sustained a minor injury.
Subsequent to her arrest, police say the body of a baby was found in a shopping bag she had with her.
Police are identifying the woman as 34-year-old Mandy Lavonne Lacy.
She has been charged with assaulting a police officer.
Additional charges are pending.
SUNDAY
According to Roanoke County Police, charges are pending for a woman after authorities say she punched an officer at Tanglewood Mall.
Authorities also say they’re now conducting a death investigation of a child.
Detectives are on the scene.
Stay with WSLS for more information.