Carmen Rappuhn, the Springfield Township woman who allegedly kept her pregnancy and baby’s birth secret and left the newborn boy in a hamper for dead, is facing second degree murder charges, again.
Originally charged with second degree murder, the now-retired Judge Gerald McNally of the 52-2 District Court in Clarkston dismissed it and reduced the charge to manslaughter at a preliminary exam Nov. 21.
However, Judge Nanci Grant of the Oakland County Circuit Court reinstated the second degree murder charge Friday, Jan. 24.
Rappuhn, 26, faced the judge on Tuesday, Jan. 28 for a pretrial where a final pretrial date was set for April 15 at 8:30 a.m. and trial date set for April 28 at 8:30 a.m.
Rappuhn’s charge stems from an incident which occurred on Saturday, Sept. 28. Oakland County Sheriff’s Department deputies were dispatched to assist the Springfield Township Fire Department with a medical call at a Norman Road residence for a young women bleeding. The woman, Rappuhn, had to be transported to Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc for further treatment.
There it was determined after examination, Rappuhn had delivered a baby within the past 24 hours and at approximately 34 weeks into the pregnancy. She denied this, according to police reports, but rather said she had a miscarriage two months ago and was still bleeding because of it.
Springfield Township deputies were notified, went to the home early Sunday, and found her baby, deceased, and inside a clothes hamper in the middle of a messy bedroom, reports said.
Examination determined the baby was born alive.
Rappuhn’s stepfather, who called 911 that Saturday night, said in police reports he and his wife had a feeling their daughter was pregnant, but she denied it when confronted.