Solon teen's murder trial delayed

By Lee Hermiston
Iowa City Press-Citizen

The trial of Solon teenager Ashley Truitt, accused of throwing her newborn baby down a garbage chute in a Florida resort, has been delayed.

The Broward County Attorney’s Office said the trial, which was scheduled to begin Sept. 24, has been moved back to Nov. 15. However, Kim Fontana, a secretary at the attorney’s office said cases of this magnitude often take one to two years before going to trial.

Truitt, 18, was on vacation with her family and boyfriend at Pompano Beach, Fla., when she gave birth to a full-term or near full-term girl after midnight on June 2nd. According to police, Truitt then wrapped her daughter in towels, place her in a plastic bag, then walked down the hall to the garbage chute and dropped her down.

Truitt has been charged with first-degree murder. Florida has the death penalty, but will not seek it in this case. She faces a mandatory life sentence if convicted.