by Leah Wankum
Assistant News Editor

Two Warrensburg residents were arraigned this past week in relation to the discovery of an infant’s body that was found in a research cave in Pertle Springs.

Latasha M. Wilson, 19, was arraigned Wednesday at the Johnson County Justice Center. Wilson was charged with abandonment of a corpse, a class D felony. Her next hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. April 30 at the Justice Center.

Zackary R. Carter, 20, was arraigned March 12 at the Justice Center. He was charged with tampering with physical evidence, a class D felony. His next hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. April 2 at the Justice Center.

Wilson said she gave birth to a baby boy in January, according to the probable cause statement. Sometime after the delivery, Wilson discovered that the baby was deceased. She said she and Carter took the baby to a cave at Pertle Springs Park “to dispose of the baby inside of the cave,” according to court records.

They left the body there, but Carter later returned to the cave. He burned the body to try and destroy evidence, according to court records.

Wilson’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. May 21 at the Johnson County Justice Center. Carter’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. May 14 at the same location.