Tara L. Paltanavage is a free woman after a Schuylkill County judge granted her immediate parole after sentencing her Monday for throwing out the body of her baby in July 2014 at her Blythe Township residence.

"This case is very troubling to the court," Judge James P. Goodman said before sentencing Paltanavage, 23, of Middleport, to serve four to 23 months in prison, plus five additional years on probation.Goodman also sentenced Paltanavage to pay costs, perform 100 hours community service, undergo a psychological evaluation and follow a family services plan developed by the county Children & Youth Services.However, since Paltanavage already has been in prison almost six months, Goodman granted her immediate parole, a situation Deputy Assistant District Attorney John T. Fegley hopes never occurs again."I find it a little absurd that the Legislature and the sentencing commission declared that crime the same as operating a bingo hall without a license," he said.Paltanavage pleaded guilty to Dec. 10, 2014, to concealing the death of a child and abuse of a corpse, with prosecutors withdrawing a charge of recklessly endangering another person.State police at Frackville charged Paltanavage with placing the body of her baby in a garbage bag between 6 and 10 a.m. July 29, 2014, at 189 Winfield Drive.Police said Paltanavage gave birth to the child in the bathtub, placed the body in a bag, put other household garbage in it and then took it out for trash pickup."The child was placed in a garbage bag, in the trash," Goodman said. "The body smelled."Even Assistant Public Defender Paul G. Domalakes, Paltanavage's lawyer, did not try to defend his client's conduct."This is a terrible thing," he told Goodman.Domalakes recommended that Paltanavage receive an extended period of probation so she would have family support to help her turn her life around and deal with her problems.Paltanavage said her boyfriend and his mother are caring for her other child.Fegley said he regretted not being able to bring even more serious charges against Paltanavage."There was no conclusive evidence as to whether (the baby) was born alive," he told Goodman.Goodman told Paltanavage that she should not return to court."I hope you're not before this member of the court again," he said."I hope you learned a lesson from this ... and raise your other child appropriately."After the 20-minute sentencing hearing, Domalakes said Goodman acted correctly."She needs a long period of supervision and the judge provided that," Domalakes said of his client. "The sentence is just."Fegley had no quarrel with what Goodman did, but he wants the Legislature to re-examine a bill to increase the possible penalties for Paltanavage's crimes.He said the state House passed it 200-0 in the last session but the state Senate did not act on it."In light of the present state of the law, I'm satisfied. Under the present law, justice was served," he said. "I hope the Legislature takes it up and increases the penalty for this crime."Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC