Woman charged after teen's body found in plastic bin inside South Philadelphia basement
PHILADELPHIA -- A woman is now facing charges after authorities found a teen's body inside a plastic bin last week in South Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office charged 25-year-old Maddison Leidy with Criminal Conspiracy, Abuse of Corpse and related offenses.
The Philadelphia Sheriff's Office and Philadelphia police found the body of 18-year-old Erin Schweikert in the basement of a home on the 2100 block of Porter Street on Thursday.
The sheriff's office was serving a robbery warrant at the home, but police tell Action News that officers were also investigating a possible case of human trafficking.
"Special Victims Unit was coming out here with our sheriffs to deal with an issue of human trafficking. They were looking for a missing female who was approximately 18 years old," Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal said.
Authorities found five people, three males and two females inside the home before discovering the body. Some lived at the home, according to Bilal.
One of the females was listed on the warrant for not appearing in court for a robbery charge, sources said. The female and the four others were taken into custody.
On Monday, the DA's office confirmed Leidy's arrest.
Charges against others taken into custody last week have not been announced at this time.
Leidy has a preliminary hearing set for next month.
According to sources, at this time, Schweikert's death appears to be accidental.
