Teen charged as adult for choking newborn son appeared in court Friday

LAKELAND, Fla. - The teen accused of murdering her newborn son moments after his birth has now been charged as an adult.

14-year-old Cassidy Goodson of Lakeland is charged with first degree murder and aggravated assault.

The high school student admitted to giving birth to the child in the toilet and using scissors to pull the baby out of her body.

She then removed the baby from the toilet and ultimately choked it to death , according to a Polk County Sheriff's Office release.

But charging the suspect as an adult brings the potential punishment to a whole different level.

"I think the question is, she's 14, how can you do that? The law says you can do it," said Jerry Hill, State Attorney for the 10th Judicial Circuit.

Hill explained to reporters today why they decided to seek adult charges. He says one of the main reasons is because kids charged as kids have limitations on their sentences.

"At the age of 21, before you turn 22, you're footloose and fancy free," he said. "We don't believe that's appropriate."

Now if a jury convicts this child of murdering her newborn child, she could get a life sentence, however, at this point in the case that sentence seems unlikely.

"Is life appropriate?" An Action News reporter asked. "I don't know. Is probation appropriate? I don't know, is something other than first degree murder appropriate? I don't know," said Hill.

Goodson's public defender would no comment about the case, but confirmed she has filed a motion for bail. That will be handled by another judge at a later date.

Reporters asked Hill about Goodson's mother who has received a lot of criticism for not noticing the pregnancy. Hill said he doesn't know of any charges that would be appropriate for the mother.

Their focus, he said, is on Cassidy Goodson.

The suspect has a bond and status hearing on October 23 and 24.