Trial starts for North Myrtle woman accused of killing her newborns. So where is she?
A woman accused of killing two babies and throwing them in the trash was expected to face a jury this week.
Her case will. She, apparently will not.
Alyssa Dayvault was scheduled to be in Horry County court this week for her trial on two counts of homicide by child abuse. But, she failed to show Monday for her first day on trial. Her lawyers said they have not spoken to Dayvault since last week. She will now face trial in her absence.
If she is found guilty, her sentence will be sealed and will be read when she is found and brought back to court. She faces life in prison.
Monday started with jury selection, before discussion over legal matters in her trial. It was during the afternoon discussion that it was revealed that she was not present. The defense objected to the trial continuing without the accused.
According to arrest warrants, Dayvault was admitted to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center in early December 2018 with heavy bleeding. She delivered the placenta, but no child.
Hospital staff called the police, who spoke to Dayvault. She said she gave birth to a baby boy days earlier at her North Myrtle Beach residence, according to the warrants.
She said the boy was born alive and took gasping breaths, the warrants state. Dayvault didn’t seek medical attention and did not try to save the baby’s life, police said.
Dayvault disposed of the baby’s body in a waste receptacle at her residence, according to the warrants. Officers found the remains in a trash bin at her North Myrtle Beach home.
Police said that while they were investigating, they learned a similar situation occurred in November 2017 when Dayvault gave birth to a girl. She didn’t seek medical attention and disposed of the baby in a waste receptacle, police said.
Officers got Dayvault’s medical records, which showed in November 2017 she was pregnant and in the third trimester. The fetus at that time had a healthy heart tone, according to the warrants.
This story was originally published October 12, 2020 at 12:32 PM.
