‘Baby Doe’: Decomposing infant found at historic Mass. park may have been dead for weeks, DA says
A decomposing infant found at a historic military park in Massachusetts earlier this month may have been dead for weeks, law enforcement officials announced Tuesday.
Officers responding to a 911 call for a deceased infant at Fort Taber in New Bedford on the afternoon of Saturday, Dec. 9, learned that a woman and her niece were walking along a path near the water when they discovered decomposing remains in a plastic bag that was wrapped in a blanket, according to Bristol District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn.
Massachusetts State Police Detectives interviewed the woman, as well as two men who were walking their dogs in the area at the time of the grim discovery, and determined that “there is no reason to believe any of them were involved in the baby’s death,” Quinn’s office said.
The infant’s body was taken to the Massachusetts Medical Examiner’s Office and DNA testing revealed that “Baby Doe” was a boy who investigators say was “likely deceased for one to four weeks prior to the discovery, according to Quinn’s office.
Detectives are still reviewing several weeks worth of surveillance video from the surrounding area and Quinn’s office has since partnered with a private lab in Texas to perform extensive genealogical and forensic testing of DNA and other evidence.
Quinn’s office is now asking anyone with information to come forward and call New Bedford police at 508-991-6300, Massachusetts State Police detectives at 508-961-1901, or submit an anonymous tip via text by messaging the word “Bristol” to 274637.
“This is a terrible tragedy, especially when it occurs during the Christmas season. We should all keep the infant in our prayers,” Quinn said in a statement. “As part of our efforts, we have expedited and are utilizing advanced forensic technology in an attempt to establish a familial link to the deceased infant. If you have any information about this case, it is imperative that you come forward. No piece of information is insignificant.”
Fort Taber Park is a 50-acre waterfront park that projects into Buzzards Bay, according to the city’s website. Fort Taber was built between 1857 and 1871 as part of the nation’s sea coast defense system.
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