Friend: Teen who gave birth at prom thought baby was dead

(CNN) -- The New Jersey teen-ager charged last week with murdering the baby she delivered at her senior prom believed the child was dead, one of her friends said.

Melissa Drexler, 18, is out on bail awaiting trial on charges she suffocated the newborn after giving birth in a bathroom stall at a banquet hall in Aberdeen Township, New Jersey.

"She didn't know it was alive. It came out blue. She assumed it was dead," Amanda Jacobson told NBC-TV's "Dateline" program. "Melissa told me it wasn't living."

Jacobson, Matthew Clark and Darlene Williams told the program they assumed Drexler left the baby in a garbage can because she believed it was dead.

Drexler concealed her pregnancy from her parents and friends. She has not spoken publicly, but her lawyers are denying the charges against her.

Prosecutors said her baby boy was alive when he was born, but died from asphyxiation, possibly from the plastic bag in which maintenance workers later found him.

Reuters contributed to this report.

• Message Board: Teen charged in prom baby death

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Related site:

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