Megan Huntsman, from Pleasant Grove, Utah, has been accused of killing six of her own babies after their bodies were discovered in cardboard boxes at her former house.

Megan Huntsman, 39, gave birth to the babies between 1996 and 2006.

Seven bodies were found by police at the house in Pleasant Grove; it is unclear why the woman has only been charged on six counts.

Megan Huntsman’s estranged husband, Darren West, who has not been charged, discovered the first body in the garage before alerting authorities.

The woman was charged with six counts of murder at Utah Country Jail on Sunday.

Megan Huntsman has been accused of killing six of her own babies (photo Utah County Jail)

Darren West, who has himself been in prison recently on drug-related charges, is believed to have been her partner when the children were born.

“We don’t believe he had any knowledge of the situation,” police spokesman Michael Roberts said.

When asked how the husband could not have known his wife had given birth to seven children, Michael Roberts replied: “That’s the million-dollar question. Amazing.”

Police officers “got more and more shocked with each box they opened”, he added.

The babies’ bodies have been sent to a medical examiner for testing.

DNA samples taken from Megan Huntsman and her husband will be used to confirm the identity of the parents.

On Sunday, Darren West’s family said they were in a “state of shock and confusion.”

Megan Huntsman had moved out of the house around three years ago.

She had three daughters, a teenager and two adults, who had continued to live there.

The daughters seemed “normal”, neighbor Vickie Nelson told the Associated Press.

They did not seem to know their mother was pregnant or notice anything suspicious, neighbors said.

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