Teenage mother who put baby’s body in bin liner found guilty of murdering newborn son just hours after birth

Paris Mayo, who is now 19 but was 15 at the time of the incident, went on trial accused of killing her son, Stanley Mayo, before putting him in a bin bag at her parents’ home in Herefordshire, in March 2019. She is alleged to have concealed both her pregnancy and her delivery of the baby and claims she was unaware she was carrying.

The court heard that she assaulted Stanley, stuffing cotton wool balls down his throat before putting his body in a bin bag and leaving it on the front doorstep before going to bed. The teenager also denied causing Stanley’s complex skull fractures and claimed her son was already dead when he was born.

Stanley’s remains were discovered the following morning by Mayo’s mother who had looked inside the bloodstained bag and immediately called 999. Medical experts said it was likely Stanley had been alive for a couple of hours, had taken breaths and may also have cried.

Mayo denied killing her baby and claimed Stanley’s head hit the floor as she gave birth suddenly and unexpectedly. However, the jury rejected her defence and found her guilty of murder.

Following the verdict, judge Mr Justice Garnham remanded Mayo into custody to be sentenced on Monday (June 26).

A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesperson said: "This is a tragic and complex case. Stanley Mayo’s short life was filled with pain and suffering when he should have been nurtured and loved.

"The prosecution built a case based on medical evidence which proved that Paris Mayo’s actions were deliberate, she chose to hide her pregnancy, give birth alone and kill her baby, then hide his body despite accepting that she had a family who would have supported her.

"I would like to thank the jury for their careful consideration of this difficult case."