The dorm was put on lockdown after the baby was found in a garbage bag at 10:48 a.m. by a school maintenance worker, who contacted Hiram Village Police immediately, according to Police Chief Brian Gregory.

“We’re in a state of shock. We are mourning as a campus community. We’re a small community, a very kind and caring one, so this has taken us by surprise and we are doing everything we can to restore a sense of health and good welfare for our students and our faculty and staff,” the school’s president, Lori Varlotta told WEWS-TV. “We have a clinical psychologist on staff who’s meeting with students who want to do personal counseling. We have a very active chaplain who is providing ministerial services.”

The cause of death isn’t known at this time, and Hiram police have launched an investigation with assistance from the state Bureau of Criminal Investigations.

The Portage County Coroner, Dr. Dean DePerro, told Fox 8 that it’s unclear how long the newborn — who was either full-term or nearly full-term — had been in the bathroom. He says it’s unknown if the infant was delivered alive or stillborn.

“The death of a child is always difficult,” said Dr. DePerro told the outlet. “It never gets easier.”

DePerro says the mother was identified late Friday night, where she was reportedly taken to a local hospital for treatment. School officials had urged the mother to seek medical treatment earlier in the day, according to WEWS-TV.

“She should feel free to come forward to get medical attention and to come forward to anybody at the college for help for counseling — to make sure she gets to the appropriate places in a very timely way,” Varlotta told the station.

The baby’s remains were taken to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner for a full autopsy.

Shannon Ferraby lived next to Hiram College — a private liberal arts college — for over 10 years. She hopes other moms know there are resources out there if you’re ever feeling overwhelmed.

“I know that myself and other moms will make sure now that people know there are resources,” Ferraby told WOIO. “I’d be happy to talk to her, pray with her, see if she still needs help. “She probably is scared to tell anyone. That’s a terrible place to be in.”

Varlotta says the university has a “wide array” of mental health services while adding that the school does its best to provide resources towards students in need.

Hiram College is about 45 miles southeast of Cleveland.

The Warren County jury deliberated for four hours before acquitting 20-year-old Brooke Skylar Richardson of aggravated murder, involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment.

Richardson, a former high school cheerleader, was found guilty of abuse of a corpse and was scheduled to be sentenced Friday. That charge carries up to one year in prison, but she could get probation as a first-time offender.

Richardson faced life in prison if she had been convicted on all charges.

Prosecutors contended that Richardson wanted to keep her “perfect life” and attempted to do so by hiding her unwanted pregnancy and then buried her baby in her family’s backyard in May 2017, within days of her senior prom. The remains were found that July in Carlisle, a village about 40 miles north of Cincinnati.

Richardson’s defense team said the baby she named “Annabelle” was stillborn and that the teen was sad and scared.

Prosecutors said the circumstantial evidence pointed to murder, saying that Richardson had cleaned up a bloody mess and texted her mother that she was  “happy” about her belly shrinking after the baby was gone.

A forensic pathologist testified for the prosecution that she concluded the baby died from “homicidal violence.” Prosecutors said Richardson had searched on the internet for “how to get rid of a baby.” They played video for the jury of a police interview in which Richardson said the baby might have moved and made noises.

Cincinnati psychologist Stuart Bassman said “Skylar was being manipulated” into making false statements during interrogations. He described Richardson as a vulnerable, immature person whose dependent personality disorder makes her want to please authority figures, even to the point of making incriminating statements that were untrue.

Julie Kraft, an assistant prosecutor, suggested that besides wanting to please authorities, Richardson’s desire to please her family and boyfriend and fear of them abandoning her could have motivated her to commit extreme acts.

The trial drew daily coverage from Court TV and at least two national TV network newsmagazines planned stories on it.

The case had divided people in her village of some 5,000 people, with Facebook pages devoted to it and some critics trying to record the Richardson family’s comings and goings to post on social media.

Social Media, TV, Court TV, Stuart Bassman, Newborn, Corpse Abuse