Trial for Iowa mom charged with newborn’s murder moved

INDIANOLA, Iowa – A new location has been chosen for the trial of a Norwalk woman accused of killing her newborn son.

The judge in Megan Staude’s murder trial granted a motion to change the venue of the trial because of pre-trial publicity in the case. Court documents filed last week now show the trial will be held in Black Hawk County instead of Warren County.

Her trial is expected to be held in mid-June 2024 and last from 10 days to two weeks.

Megan and her father, Rodney Staude, are both charged with first-degree murder. Investigators say she gave birth to a son at home in Norwalk in February and didn’t provide any care for the baby for two days. Rodney then allegedly put the baby, who was still living, in a plastic bag and left it in a ditch outside of town.

The baby’s remains were discovered on March 9.

Rodney’s case was severed from Megan’s and is on hold while a competency evaluation is completed. Court documents indicate he intends to use diminished responsibility as a defense during trial.