Teens Who Suffocated, Left Newborn In Asbury Park Appear In Court

The two teen suspects who allegedly suffocated and then left a baby in an Asbury Park dumpster appeared in court on Wednesday.

The teens made their first appearance and appeared for a detention hearing Wednesday at 9 a.m. in front of Judge James J. McGann at the Monmouth County Courthouse in Freehold.

Jada M. McClain, 18, of Neptune, and Quaimere Mohammed, 19, of Asbury Park, who were both arrested on Friday, were read the charges before McGann Wednesday morning, according to nj.com.

Members of McClain’s family left the courtroom in tears after she and Mohammed faced a judge to hear charges in the death of their newborn infant, according to The Asbury Park Press.

McClain, dressed in a maroon jail uniform, cried as she talked to her attorney, Thomas Catley of Neptune, who handed her tissues, according to The Asbury Park Press.

An investigation continues as the baby's body has not been recovered, but the MCPO says the investigation is ongoing.

"We urge anyone with information to reach out to our investigative team," said Chris Swendeman, a spokesman for the MCPO.

Related: NJ Teens Hid Pregnancy, Suffocated Newborn: Prosecutors

In the case, McClain allegedly concealed her pregnancy from her parents before giving birth last week, and then suffocated the child, according to an affidavit released by authorities that revealed many horrifying details.

The child was then tossed into a dumpster, according to an affidavit released by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

The case recalls similar horrifying incidents that have happened in the past in New Jersey, sparking the state to create a website, www.njsafehaven.org, that lists places to take a baby (more details are identified in the video below).

McClain is charged with first-degree murder and second-degree disturbing or desecrating human remains. Mohammed is charged with second-degree disturbing or desecrating human remains, the prosecutor's office said.

Some of the terrible details revealed in the affidavit provided by the MCPO include (reader discretion advised):

• In February, Jada McClain allegedly began showing her stomach and told a friend she was drinking, smoking “weed” and taking pills so that she could try to kill her baby.
• After giving birth, Jada reported to a friend that she took her two hands and pressed on the baby’s chest to stop him from breathing. Jada explained that prior to placing her hands on her baby’s chest, she disclosed that the baby was breathing and that her intention was to stop her baby from breathing.
• The Asbury Park Police Department later reviewed the video surveillance recordings from an apartment complex on March 29, which showed Jada’s vehicle, a Volkswagen Jetta, arriving in the complex at approximately 9:30 AM.
• Quaimere Mohammed was observed getting out of the front passenger seat and discarding what appeared to be a blue colored trash bag into the dumpster.
• Jada later traveled with detectives to the Washington Village Apartment complex for the purpose of identifying the trash dumpster that Quaimere discarded the baby’s remains in.