A 15-year-old has been adjudicated delinquent for first degree murder of her newborn child.
21st Judicial District Attorney Scott Perrilloux reports that Emely Amaya-Ponce, now 15, has been committed to the custody of the Office of Juvenile Justice for juvenile life in connection with the 2025 killing of her newborn infant.
Perrilloux said the delinquency adjudication is the equivalent to a criminal conviction in adult court and means that the teen will be detained until her 21st birthday without the possibility of parole, which is considered the mandatory maximum sentence.
Assistant District Attorney Amanda Kinchen-Gros presented evidence that in 2025 the teen delivered a full-term, alive baby in her bedroom. The teen killed the baby using a sharp object to deeply cut the infant’s neck. The baby’s body was later discovered in a tote in the juvenile’s bedroom.
Perrilloux said that due to the severity of the offense, the State sought to have the teen prosecuted as an adult for first-degree murder; however, because of her age, the transfer to adult court required a hearing and determination by the court, which was denied.
On Monday, August 17, 2026, the teen stipulated as charged, and Judge Matthew Belser committed the teen to juvenile life, which will remain in effect until the girl’s 21st birthday.
“This is an unusual and horribly sad case,” Perrilloux said. “I applaud ADA Gros and our team for their determination in bringing justice for this innocent victim.”
