Mother arrested after newborns found dead in West Melbourne home, police say

WEST MELBOURNE, Fla. — An arrest has been made in the case of two newborn babies found dead in a West Melbourne home, investigators said.

Rachael Lynn Thomas, 30, was taken into custody Monday afternoon. The mother of the infants faces two counts of child neglect and one count of tampering with evidence.

Police were called Sunday to a home on Laurel Oak Street just after noon.

Police said the deaths are suspicious, but did not release a cause.

One of the infants was transported to a nearby hospital Sunday and the other was dead at the home, police said.

“It is something that is very serious. We will methodically investigate this to try to get the answers that the children here deserve,” said Cpt. Richard Cordeau of the West Melbourne Police Department.

Thomas is being held in the Brevard County Jail on a $30,000 bail.

Neighbors said Thomas lived at the home with her mother and kept to herself.

They said they’ve only seen one infant and an older child with Thomas.

Melbourne police and the Department of Children and Families said they have not had any previous contact with Thomas.

DCF has opened an investigation into what led to the deaths.

The infants’ siblings are being cared for by relatives.

Cox Media Group