Concealment of birth-still a crime in some states

12 women were executed for concealment in the first 100 years starting in the mid 1600s. Though no longer a death sentence, concealment of birth statues remain.

Contemporary U.S. Statutes Addressing Concealment of Birth or Concealment of Infant Death

Arkansas

Arkansas Code Annotated § 5-26-203 (2024)
Concealing birth

(a) A person commits the offense of concealing birth if he or she hides the corpse of a newborn child with purpose to conceal the fact of the child’s birth or to prevent a determination of whether the child was born alive.

(b) Concealing birth is a Class D felony.

Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 5-26-203 (2024).

Kentucky

Kentucky Revised Statutes § 530.030 (2025)
Concealing birth of infant

(1) A person is guilty of concealing the birth of an infant when he conceals the corpse of a newborn child with intent to conceal the fact of its birth or to prevent a determination of whether it was born dead or alive.

(2) Concealing the birth of an infant is a Class A misdemeanor.

Source: Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 530.030 (2025).

Michigan

Michigan Compiled Laws § 750.150 (2024)
Concealment of death by mother

If any unmarried woman conceals the death of any issue of her body, so that it may not be known whether such issue was born alive or not, or whether it was not murdered, she shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 1 year.

Source: Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.150 (2024).

Minnesota

Minnesota Statutes § 617.22 (2025)
Concealing birth

Any person who attempts to conceal the birth of a child by any disposition of its dead body, when the child died after its birth, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

This section does not apply to the disposition of remains resulting from an abortion or miscarriage.

Source: Minn. Stat. § 617.22 (2025).

Nevada

Nevada Revised Statutes § 201.150 (2024)
Concealing birth

Every person who shall endeavor to conceal the birth of a child by any disposition of its dead body, whether the child died before or after its birth, shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

Source: Nev. Rev. Stat. § 201.150 (2024).

North Carolina

North Carolina General Statutes § 14-46 (2025)
Concealing birth of child

If any person shall, by secretly burying or otherwise disposing of the dead body of a newborn child, endeavor to conceal the birth of such child, such person shall be punished as a Class I felon.

Any person aiding, counseling or abetting any other person in concealing the birth of a child in violation of this section shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Source: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-46 (2025).

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Statutes, Title 21, § 863 (2024)
Concealing stillbirth

Every woman who endeavors to conceal the stillbirth of any issue of her body, which, if born alive, would be a bastard, or who endeavors to conceal the death of any such issue, shall be punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one (1) year, or by fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Source: Okla. Stat. tit. 21, § 863 (2024).

Oregon

Oregon Revised Statutes § 167.820 (2023)
Concealing the birth of an infant

(1) A person commits the crime of concealing the birth of an infant if the person conceals the corpse of a newborn child with intent to conceal the fact of its birth or to prevent a determination of whether the infant was born dead or alive.

(2) Concealing the birth of an infant is a Class A misdemeanor.

Source: Or. Rev. Stat. § 167.820 (2023).