An Iowa woman has been charged with killing her newborn daughter by tossing her down a Florida hotel rubbish chute from the seventh floor.

Ashley Truitt, 18, was being held without bond on one count of murder, Broward County sheriff's officials said.

Truitt told police she hid her pregnancy from her parents and boyfriend. They were all staying at the Wyndham Resort on Saturday when authorities found a bloody kitchen knife in the hallway and the newborn's body in a rubbish bin.

Truitt said she gave birth in the bathroom, using the knife to cut the umbilical cord. She then put the baby in a plastic bag with some bath towels and threw it down the rubbish chute, authorities said.

An autopsy performed yesterday found the newborn died from blunt trauma to the head, likely from being dropped in the chute.

AP