Woman suspected of abandoning dead child pleads not guilty : News : ConnectMidMissouri.com

Woman suspected of abandoning dead child pleads not guilty

Posted: 06.08.2011 at 3:53 PM

Mark Slavit

Mark Slavit is the Columbia Bureau chief and the Mid-Missouri Traveler.

Cassidy King pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges of abandonment of a corpse. Authorities believe King, 25, of Moberly, left a dead baby hidden in a weighted duffle bag into a pond in Randolph County. The pond sat on property of one of King's family members. The bag was fished out of the pond by members of King's family on Mother's Day.

King's attorney requested both a change of judge and change of venue in court on Wednesday. The Missouri Supreme Court will choose the new judge in her case. The change of venue hearing cannot be rescheduled until the new judge is appointed.

When the child was first found, it was unclear if Randolph County would charge King with more than abandonment of a corpse. The case is still under investigation and autopsy results are now under review.

Randolph County Prosecutor Mike Fusselman said he only received the autopsy results on Wednesday and had not yet decided if he was planning to file additional charges against King. The investigation into King's role in the child's death is ongoing.