LANCASTER COUNTY, PA – Tara Brazzle, formerly of Lancaster and currently of Valparaiso, Ind., was convicted on Tuesday of third-degree murder in the death of her newborn baby, known as “Baby Mary Anne”.
The Lancaster County Judge Merrill Spahn sentenced the 46-year-old to 5 ½ to 20 years in prison. The baby, who was approximately 36 weeks gestation, was found dead on Sept. 24, 2007, in a large trash dumpster at the YMCA’s former location at 572 N. Queen Street, where Brazzle, then known as Tara Indrakosit, worked.
Brazzle entered an “Alford plea”, acknowledging that sufficient evidence existed for a conviction, but without admitting to the conduct. The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office confirmed that the baby was born alive and died of complications of asphyxia.
The Lancaster City Bureau of Police, in consultation with the baby’s father, led the exhaustive investigation. After years of investigation using modern DNA techniques and assistance from Parabon NanoLabs, Sergeant Randell Zook was able to establish that Brazzle was the baby’s mother. Brazzle must also pay $4,846.62 for special costs of prosecution regarding the DNA laboratory fees.