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Detectives: DNA Match Leads To Arrest In Baby's Death

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 23, 2008

LAKELAND - Following an unexpected DNA trail, detectives arrested a Riverview woman Thursday and accused her of leaving a newborn baby in a trash bin in Lakeland two years ago.

The baby died.

Kami Sargent, 41, of 10418 Harvest Time Place, was charged with aggravated manslaughter. Detectives said her DNA matches that of the placenta found with the dead baby girl in the trash bin on Lewellyn Road on May 9, 2006.

The break in the case came in November, when Sargent was placed on probation in Polk County for driving without a license Nov. 11. At that time, police took a DNA swab from her and placed it in a DNA database.

On Tuesday, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement informed the Polk County Sheriff's Office that Sargent's DNA matched that of the placenta. Sargent was arrested Thursday and questioned by detectives.

A sheriff's spokeswoman said Sargent told them she gave birth to the full-term baby and left it in the trash bin. The baby died there and was found by an apartment maintenance worker.

"She did not want her family to know she was pregnant," sheriff's spokeswoman Carrie Rodgers said.

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