Tullytown Woman Faces Charges Over Baby's Death

A Tullytown woman faces misdemeanor charges of concealing the death of a child and abuse of a corpse after the body of an infant boy was allegedly discovered in a trash bag in the closet of her home, Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler announced during a press conference Monday afternoon.

Lorie Bendorovich, 38, has been released on $500,000 unsecured bail following arraignment before Bristol Township District Judge Robert Wagner. Bucks County detectives do not consider Bendorovich a flight risk, but Judge Wagner made two conditions on her bail. She must remain at her home on Lakeside Drive, where she lives with her parents, and she must seek counseling immediately.

According to the arrest affidavit, a friend of Bendorovich's niece placed a 911 call and reported a dead baby in a trash can at the home. Bendorovich met Tullytown Borough officers at the house and directed them to her bedroom, where a black trash bag was seen on the floor.

Bucks County detectives removed the infant and had it transported to the Bucks County Coroner's office for an autopsy. Heckler said that a post-mortem examination indicated that the baby was a stillborn birth, and that no homicide charges will be filed at this time.

"The child never took a breath," said Heckler during the press conference.

According to Heckler, the coroner said the baby had been carried to term when it was born last Sunday night/early Monday morning. Heckler said the woman's eldest son discovered the body the following Thursday morning.

Bendorovich told detectives she had not been aware of the pregnancy, but an investigation of her Facebook page showed comments to the contrary, Heckler said. Court documents say detectives also interviewed the father, who said he had intercourse with Bendorovich in late October 2012, and she told him she was pregnant a month later.

The father offered to raise the child with Bendorovich or by himself, but she told him a few days later that she was no longer pregnant, according to the affidavit.