Geraldton woman gave birth in secret, partner put baby in the freezer
A Geraldton woman will be sentenced on Friday for concealing a corpse after her newborn baby was discovered wrapped in a garbage bag in the freezer.
Monique Ellen Burton, 35, appeared in Perth District Court on Thursday where she also pleaded guilty to a raft of fraud charges related to money she received in donations via a GoFundMe page.
Shocking details of how Burton concealed her sixth pregnancy from her partner, faking a negative pregnancy test and later giving birth in secret on the couples' lounge, were aired in court ahead of her sentencing hearing.
The court heard how Burton told police she had little recollection of the night she birthed a 4.2kg boy, known as Baby Burton in late 2021, which she later placed into a garbage bag and put in the freezer.
Authorities were unable to determine if the baby was stillborn.
The court was told Burton had been in a relationship with her partner, Shaun Balaam for 14 years, having five children with him.
Four of her pregnancies were concealed from authorities, the court was told, and her third child was also concealed from Balaam, the baby's father. The court heard Burton told Balaam in 2019 she was suffering from a liver condition that caused bloating to explain pregnancy symptoms.
After birthing the couple's third baby, the court was told she placed her in a bin and 'abandoned her on the front porch of a neighbour'.
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