Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that a jury found 32-year-old Andee R. Wright of Amherst guilty of one count of Murder in the Second Degree (Class "A-I" felony). Jurors rendered their decision on Tuesday afternoon after approximately two hours of deliberation following a six-day trial, convicting the defendant of one of two counts of murder in the indictment.
During the early morning hours of Monday, October 5, 2020, the defendant intentionally killed her newborn child. The defendant was alone when she gave birth to a 37-week-old male infant inside of a bathroom at a home on Eggert Road in the Town of Tonawanda. After the birth, she did not call 911 for medical assistance for herself or the baby.
The defendant was found in medical distress later that morning by her boyfriend who called 911. The defendant was transported by ambulance to the hospital. Upon further investigation, a paramedic found the deceased newborn inside of a garbage can in the basement.
The Erie County Medical Examiner's Office determined that the baby, who was born alive, died from a traumatic brain injury caused by blunt force and focally penetrating impacts to the head.
“This is a disturbing case of a woman who concealed her pregnancy and killed her own newborn baby. While this was a challenging case, we were committed to obtaining justice in the death of Baby Boy Wright. The evidence showed that the baby was born alive and the jury agreed that defendant intentionally murdered of her own newborn son,” said Acting Erie County DA Mike Keane.
Wright faces up to 25 years to life in prison when she is sentenced before Acting Erie County Court Judge Andrew C. LoTempio on Monday, September 9, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. She was held without bail pending sentence.
Acting DA Keane commends the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, Town of Tonawanda paramedics as well as Dr. Stacey Reed, Dr. Katherine Maloney, Dr. Erin Chapman of the Erie County Medical Examiner's Office for their work in this investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Rebecca L. Schnirel of the Homicide Bureau and Chief Ashley M. Morgan of the Felony Trials Bureau.