Mia Sardella could be, would be, should be living the life many other women her age are living-- finishing college, dreaming big and building a future based on those goals.
Instead, she faces 5-10 years in prison, for crimes that will probably haunt her far past any prison time. Sardella gave birth to a baby boy on New Years day in 2007. She said she never even knew she was pregnant, and didn't feel the baby's heart beating. So she put the tiny body into duffel bag and stuffed it in the trunk of a car.
Sardella pleading no contest to involuntary manslaughter charges, abuse of a corpse and concealing the death of a child Tuesday.
The most serious charge of third-degree murder was dropped.
Sardella entered court, flocked by family members., according to the Delaware County Times.
She will be sentenced on January 22, 2009, which is exactly two years from the day her baby was discovered in the trunk of her car, by her mom.
Sardella admitted to family members that she gave birth in her Anderson Avenue home in Drexel Hill on New Year’s Day 2007, but did not feel a heartbeat, according to court documents.
Sardella's grandfather, Albert E. Piscopo, described Sardella as being distraught when he testified in an earlier hearing. He said Sardella “believed the baby was dead” and that when she gave birth it was a shock to everyone, because no one in the family, including Mia, knew she was expecting.
At the time, Sardella was an 18-year old student at Drexel University.
There's a gag order in the case and it will stay in effect until sentencing. That means people involved in the case cannot talk about it publicly.
She went home Tuesday. Sardella's on an electronic monitor until the sentencing.
Sardella faces up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
