Current:Home > NewsVermont police conclude case of dead baby more than 40 years later and say no charges will be filed-InfoLens
Vermont police conclude case of dead baby more than 40 years later and say no charges will be filed
View Date:2024-12-23 10:31:51
NORTHFIELD, Vt. (AP) — More than 40 years after some Vermont children waiting for a school bus discovered a dead baby off the side of the road, state police have announced that they found the infant’s parents and no charges will be filed.
The deceased infant was found in Northfield on April 1, 1982, state police said Wednesday. Investigators determined that the deceased baby was a recently born boy but his identify was unknown. An autopsy was unable to determine the cause of death or if the baby died of existing medical conditions, police said.
The initial investigation did not turn up any information to help identify the infant or his parents, police said. Evidentiary DNA testing was not available at the time and the case remained unresolved, police said.
In 2020, state police worked with a DNA technology company to do genealogy analysis with the work funded by donations. In 2021, the company provided possible names of the baby’s biological mother and father, who had ties to the Northfield area in 1982.
Vermont State Police said they contacted the individuals at their home in Maine and obtained DNA from them, which confirmed they were the parents. The father told police he left Vermont for an extended period in 1982 and did not know about the pregnancy or disposal of the deceased baby. The mother admitted she unlawfully disposed of the deceased infant. She said she did not know she was pregnant, and did not have any symptoms until she began to feel abdominal pain. She labored alone for several hours and lost consciousness, she told police. She said when she came to, she realized she had delivered a baby but the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and he did not survive, according to police.
She said she planned to find a spot in the woods to bury him but while walking in the woods she thought she heard voices and got scared. She slipped and the baby fell from her arms and she ran, police said.
State police met with the county prosecutor about the case, who determined that charges of murder are unwarranted, police said. Charges related to the unauthorized disposal of a dead body are beyond the statute of limitations, police said.
veryGood! (88965)
Related
- Social media star squirrel euthanized after being taken from home tests negative for rabies
- TEA Business College: the choice for professional investment
- Chiefs opening up salary cap space by restructuring Patrick Mahomes' contract, per report
- House Democrats try to force floor vote on foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan
- The ancient practice of tai chi is more popular than ever. Why?
- Corrections officers sentenced in case involving assault of inmate and cover up
- Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry agrees to resign, bowing to international and internal pressure
- Texas parental consent law for teen contraception doesn’t run afoul of federal program, court says
- Dramatic video shows Phoenix police rescue, pull man from car submerged in pool: Watch
- UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman 'battling for his life' after saving parents from house fire
Ranking
- Mariah Carey's Amazon Holiday Merch Is All I Want for Christmas—and It's Selling Out Fast!
- New Orleans police evidence room overrun by rodents, officials say: The rats are eating our marijuana
- 8 children, 1 adult die after eating sea turtle meat in Zanzibar, officials say
- Voters choose county commissioner as new Georgia House member
- Utah AD Mark Harlan rips officials following loss to BYU, claims game was 'stolen from us'
- Survivor seeking national reform sues friend who shot him in face and ghost gun kit maker
- Missing Washington state woman found dead in Mexico; man described as suspect arrested
- Jenna Dewan Reveals How Fiancé Steve Kazee Slid Into Her DMs After Channing Tatum Breakup
Recommendation
-
Inside Dream Kardashian's Sporty 8th Birthday Party
-
Virgin of Charity unites all Cubans — Catholics, Santeria followers, exiled and back on the island
-
In yearly Pennsylvania tradition, Amish communities hold spring auctions to support fire departments
-
2024 NFL free agency updates: Tracker for Tuesday buzz, notable moves with big names still unclaimed
-
NYC bans unusual practice of forcing tenants to pay real estate brokers hired by landlords
-
Andrew Tate can be extradited to face U.K. sex offense allegations, but not yet, Romania court rules
-
Stop hackers cold: Tech tips to secure your phone's data and location
-
Boeing whistleblower John Barnett found dead in South Carolina