Brandon D. Thoma and Taylor K. Blaha Killed Newborns: Cops

Taylor K Blaha and Brandon D Thoma

A 31-year-old man and 24-year-old woman in Iowa are behind bars this week for allegedly drowning their baby in a bathtub just moments after the child was born.

Brandon D.Thoma and Taylor K Blaha were taken into custody on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of juveniles Kayleen Lee Blaha, authorities announced.

according to a affidavit of probable cause Obtained from Law&Crime, Blaha went to Unity Point Trinity Regional Medical Center on November 22, where she met with an employee from the Iowa Department of Human Services (IDHS). Blaha reportedly said that she “gave birth to a baby at her apartment and that it was buried at an undisclosed location.”

The IDHS employee contacted the Webster County Law Enforcement Center and a sheriff’s office detective responded to the scene.

In an interview with the detective, Blaha reportedly told the detective that she found out in April 2022 that she was pregnant with Thomas Kind. The two already have a 2-year-old son together.

She allegedly said she gave birth to a baby girl on November 16 in the bathroom of her apartment on Block 900 of Central Avenue in Fort Dodge.

“She stated that Thoma was in the bedroom of the apartment when the baby was born, but once the baby was born he came into the bathroom and helped her move from where she was sitting on the toilet to a position where she with the bathtub in the bathtub sat baby,” the affidavit reads. “She tells them that the baby was named Kayleen Lee Blaha and that she was born alive, crying, moving her arms and legs, and opening her eyes so Blaha could see that Kayleen had brown eyes.”

Blaha allegedly said she asked Thoma for methamphetamine to ease the pain of childbirth and he provided her with the medication. She told the detective that they “had no intention” of keeping the child and planned to have Blaha’s sister adopt the girl. She added that Thoma used scissors to cut the umbilical cord and “cut off sections of the umbilical cord that should be kept as a memorial to the baby.”

However, Blaha reportedly said that she and Thoma soon got nervous that their neighbors would hear Kayleen cry and alert the police. They were afraid they would lose custody of their 2-year-old son if law enforcement got to the home and found methamphetamine in the baby’s system.

“Blaha further explained that to stop the crying, the two put Kayleen in the bathtub, which was about half full of water, and put both hands on the baby’s chest, forcing her under the water and eventually killing her,” so the affidavit. “Blaha also explained that Thoma showed her how to do it. Blaha advised that once the baby was submerged, Thoma would take the baby out of the bath and set him outside the tub before finally placing him in a plastic container, wrapping him in several layers of trash bags and then putting him in a black backpack, carrying her out of the apartment.”

While Kayleen’s body was never recovered, investigators executed a search warrant at her home and recovered what appeared to be the portion of the umbilical cord that Thoma had as a souvenir.

Police have offered a $1,500 reward for information leading to the recovery of the child’s remains.

Both parents are currently in custody. Thomas’ bond was priced at $1,050,000 while Blaha’s bond was priced at $1 million.

[Images via Webster County Sheriff’s Office]

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