NORTH MANCHESTER – Details surrounding the death of an infant in a Manchester University dorm room have been released. According to a probable cause affidavit provided by the Wabash County Prosecutor’s Office, Mikayla Munn, 21, Elkhart, called 911 at 11:28 p.m. on March 8, informing the operator she fainted in her bathtub after giving birth. The report, written by Indiana State Police Det. Joshua Maller, says that Munn sounded calm on the phone. Manchester University Safety officers arrived shortly after the call. The officers were recording video and audio of the event. Munn told them that she “hit her head” and did not know she was pregnant. The baby was not breathing at this time. Munn sounded calm and even laughed while talking to the officers, according to the affidavit. Both Munn and the child were transported to Kosciusko Community Hospital by paramedics. On April 1, a conference call took place between Dr. Thomas Sozio, a forensic pathologist, Dr. Timothy Cook, OBGYN, Jason Page, CSI sergeant, and Indiana State Police. Cook surmised that Munn had the baby between 10:56 and 11:09 p.m. After this time, Munn searched Google for ways to tie off an umbilical cord. This indicates that Munn did not pass out. Munn’s blood loss was not beyond the limit to cause her to faint and, according to Cook, women do not pass out during labor without significant medical events, which Munn did not display. Sozio and Cook both confirmed that the baby had air in its lungs, meaning that it had been breathing. They concluded that cause of death was asphyxia due to drowning, and the death was ruled a homicide. Paramedics who responded that evening told ISP officers that when they arrived, Munn was passed out in the tub while the baby was floating face down in the water. One paramedic stated that Munn responded when he called her name, indicating that she was not unconscious. He noted her lack of emotion seemed “inappropriate” for someone who had lost a child, the affidavit states. ISP officers met with the assumed father, Munn’s ex boyfriend. He told police that when Munn told him she was pregnant, they both agreed she should get an abortion. He assumed she was at an early stage of pregnancy when she told him this. Text messages were provided for several weeks which contained conversations concerning the pregnancy. Munn allegedly searched the internet multiple times prior to having the baby about “abortion pills,” how to cut umbilical cords and other topics, indicating that she knew she was pregnant, according to the affidavit. Maller concludes in the affidavit that “It is apparent Mikayla is using her false lack of knowledge and unconsciousness as an alibi to the truth. The truth being she knew she was pregnant and killed her newborn baby by allowing him to drown in the bathtub.” Munn was arrested at her home in Elkhart and charged with murder and neglect of a dependent causing death. She was booked into the Wabash County Jail.
