Mom Of Newborn Found Dead At Amazon Distribution Center Released Without Bail

Police on Tuesday released the name of the woman whose newborn baby girl was found dead at an Amazon distribution center in Phoenix nearly a week ago.

Police booked Samantha Vivier, 22, on suspicion of unlawful disposal of human remains. 

She made her initial appearance Tuesday night, during which the prosecutor recommended she be released on her own recognizance. The commissioner agreed, stating that there is no evidence at this point to indicate that Vivier actually harmed the baby. Prosecutors believe the baby was stillborn.

According to the Phoenix Police Department, Vivier is an Amazon employee and she claims she did not know she was pregnant.

The baby's body was discovered Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019, in a restroom at the facility near 51st Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road. 

According to court documents, Vivier gave birth inside the woman's restroom "sometime" after she clocked out for lunch at 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 16. She said the baby wasn't breathing or moving.

Vivier remained in the stall and until another Amazon employee gave her paper towels and a plastic bag to clean up the blood on the bathroom floor.

Police say she placed the baby inside the plastic bag and put it in the garbage can under the counter in the bathroom and left. She told a supervisor she needed new pants and when she couldn't get any, a friend picked her up.

At around 3:30 p.m., a janitor was cleaning and noticed the trash can was heavier than normal and discovered the dead infant.

When police interviewed Vivier on Tuesday, they said she told them she gained about 15 pounds but didn't feel a baby moving inside her and didn't visit a doctor during the past year.

She said she didn't see the baby move or breathe after giving birth, court documents state. Vivier also said she wanted to hide the birth from the father of the baby and "panicked after giving birth."

While the prosecutor said during Vivier's initial court appearance that the baby was stillborn, it will be up to the medical examiner to make that determination.