Mom accused of abandoning baby is now charged with murder

(Greenville Co. Detention Center) Brook Graham

(Greenville Co. Detention Center) Brook Graham

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Charges have been upgraded against a South Carolina woman accused of leaving her newborn daughter to die in a cardboard box in an empty field.

The Greenville News reports that Brook Graham’s original charge of homicide by child abuse was upgraded to murder last week.

Greenville Police Department say they arrested Graham on April 3, where the original charge carries a possible life sentence.

According to investigators, a man was picking flowers in the vacant field to prepare for Valentine’s Day in 1990 when he found the baby now known as Julie Valentine.

Julie was born alive outside of a hospital. She was found dead, wrapped in newspaper and bedding with her umbilical cord and placenta still attached. It’s unclear why she was abandoned.

Authorities said DNA submitted to genealogy sites revealed a likely match to the baby’s father, who then pointed police to Graham.