Woman arrested in Virginia found with decomposing baby’s remains

Roanoke police were dispatched to the Tanglewood Mall on July 19th to a report of a woman behaving erratically.

Officers there encountered 34-year-old Mandy Lavonne Lacey, (sometimes spelled Lacy,) who then proceeded to punch one of them in the forehead.  Lacey was taken into custody and belongings were searched.

During that search, police found what appeared to be the decomposing remains of a baby wrapped in a jacket inside of what was described as a grocery bag.

The relationship between Lacey and the child remains unknown at this time and Monday, July 21st, a warrant was authorized to allow investigators to take a DNA sample via swab.  Investigators are hoping to determine whether or not Lacey and the child are related biologically.

According to a statement released by the police, due to the decomposition of the remains, determining age and gender was not immediately possible.  The medical examiner's report is pending.

A competency hearing has been ordered which WSET reports Lacey objected to.  “It’s not up to you,” the judge is reported to have told her as her objection was overruled.

Lacey is currently being held without bond in the Western Virginia Regional Jail on charges of assaulting a police officer and public intoxication.