Girl, 14, hid the body of stillborn baby in a drawer for two days after secretly giving birth in her bedroom

A WORRIED 14-year old schoolgirl hid the body of her stillborn baby in a drawer for two days after secretly giving birth in her bedroom, a court heard today.

The traumatised teen, who was due to celebrate her 15th birthday, wrapped the infant's remains in a blanket before hiding them in her divan bed.

She then kept her ordeal a secret for up to 48 hours - even attending high school the following day without telling anyone.

The alarm was eventually raised when the girl - who cannot be named - asked her closest friends to help her bury the baby.

One of those friends then told her mother, who contacted the girl's family and the baby's body was found shortly afterwards.

The youngster , from Manchester, later claimed she did not know she was pregnant and thought she having a severe bout of stomach ache when she went into labour.

Doctors who examined the baby were unable to establish a cause of death - although it is believed the infant survived for no more than two minutes before passing away.

At Manchester Youth Court the girl, now 16, pleaded guilty to concealing the birth of a child.

She had originally faced charges of infanticide and manslaughter after being accused of failing to give the baby medical attention - but the allegations were dropped.

The tragedy occurred in February 2014 just three days before her birthday after the girl broke up with her boyfriend.

Prosecutor Miss Charlotte Crangle said: "She had been in a relationship the year before which ended in the summer. In February 2015 she went to bed early because she was feeling sick with a stomach ache.

"Her mother gave her paracetamol, and then again in the early hours. She thought she was constipated, and then described a sensation as though she was going to burst.

"She gave birth to the child and the placenta, and cut the umbilical cord with some scissors from her room. She dressed baby and wrapped her up, before putting her in the cupboard or drawer under her bed."

She dressed baby and wrapped her up, before putting her in the cupboard or drawer under her bed

Prosecutor Charlotte Crangle

The girl then went to school the following day, and didn't reveal the birth to anyone, until she asked her closest friends to help her bury the baby.

One of those friends then told her mother, who contacted the girl's mother.

The 16-year-old's mother contacted a midwife, and the baby was taken to St Mary's hospital were tests were taken and he police were informed.

The girl claims that she did not know that she was pregnant, but Miss Crangle told the court of text messages to her cousin voicing her suspicions.

''She sent texts to her cousin in January 2015 which she voiced her suspicions that she was pregnant,'' added Miss Crangle.

''The baby died very soon after her birth. She told a friend that the baby had cried once but she did not believe that the baby was alive.''

An examination of the baby both by prosecution and defence experts gave an unknown cause of death.

In mitigation defence lawyer Rachel Adamson said there was no chance of the baby still being alive when she was put in the drawer.

Miss Adamson added: "Even the prosecution evidence shows that the baby was not alive for probably more than two minutes. She did not believe that the baby was alive when she put her in the drawer. She disputes that the baby ever cried."

The girl was sentenced to a 10 month referral order and was ordered to pay prosecution costs of £100.

District Judge Mark Hadfield said: "This order is for your own benefit. You should cooperate fully with the panel involved."