MEMPHIS, Tenn. — James Boothe, the man accused of throwing a newborn baby in a dumpster behind a Whitehaven business, has been indicted on new charges, according to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office.
Boothe now faces charges including two counts of trafficking for commercial sex, promoting prostitution involving minors, continuous sexual abuse of a child, and aggravated statutory rape. His bond has been set at $1.25 million.
Initially, Boothe was charged with abuse of a corpse, but those charges were dismissed on Friday due to insufficient evidence. However, the investigation is ongoing, and Boothe remains in custody.
In a statement, the District Attorney’s Office explained that while probable cause was not found in General Sessions Court, the case is far from over. “This investigation is not complete, and Mr. Boothe will still face five new charges. We are continuing to review the abuse of a corpse allegation for potential further indictment,” the statement read.
The charges stem from an incident in January when police said a 16-year-old girl gave birth while en route to the hospital. Authorities claim Boothe then took the baby and placed it in a dumpster behind a Shell gas station on East Shelby Drive. The baby was found dead after a search of the area.
Boothe was arrested the following day and initially held on a $250,000 bond. At his court appearance on January 30, a judge indicated that if convicted, Boothe could face 1 to 6 years in prison.
Court documents also revealed that the 16-year-old girl had been in a relationship with the 45-year-old Boothe for three years.
Related topics:
