A 16-year-old high school junior has been charged with the murder of a new born baby and was in the Panola County Jail under $100,000 bond.

Panola County Sheriff Otis Griffin said Monday that Linda Nash will be tried as an adult and the family home on the Pope-Water Valley Road was was being treated as a crime scene. She was a student at North Delta School.

According to Griffin investigators from the Panola County Sheriff’s office were notified Saturday evening  that an already deceased newborn was brought to the emergency room at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.

A preliminary report from an autopsy indicated that the newborn died from “stab wound to the abdomen,” according to Griffin.

The incident apparently happened at the home of the mother and her parents and the newborn was transported to Tri-lakes along with mother and grandparents in the family car.

“I would say she was probably hiding the pregnancy from her parents,” Griffin said Monday at a news conference

North Delta School headmaster John Howell Jr. said Tuesday, “The North Delta School family is heartbroken over the tragedy and extends our sympathy to the Nash family. Our prayers are with them during this trying time. Our teachers and students are shocked and hurting, and we have developed the best plan that we can to help them and to meet these needs on our campus.”

According to Griffin there has been no confession. Batesville attorney Tom Womble is representing Nash.