Shock twist after cops reveal cause of death for 14-day-old baby found floating in water off popular beach spot
THERE has been a shock twist in the four-year-long mystery of a newborn found dead by an off-duty firefighter while fishing at a popular beach.
Cops in Florida have revealed more details while they continue “seeking justice” for the infant named “Baby June” after her “horrible” death.
"We want to know who could have done something this horrible. We're seeking justice for this baby we called Baby June… all we need is a lead," Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) tweeted on Wednesday.
On the four-year anniversary of her discovery, sheriffs have shared more details of their latest findings in a special podcast.
“Something had happened, whether it be SIDS [Sudden infant death syndrome], accidental smothering, intentional smothering, intentional homicide and then discarded,” one detective said.
The baffling case dates back to June 1, 2018, when an off-duty firefighter tragically discovered the remains of a newborn floating 225 feet offshore, north of the Boynton Inlet while fishing with his son.
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Initial investigations indicated the infant might have been in the water for a few days, according to PBSO's special investigations unit.
But further details have emerged since her remains were plucked from the sea by rescuers.
June was found to have a needle prick on the heel of her foot – to look for indications in the blood of rare medical conditions – and her umbilical cord had been properly cut.
This discovery has led police to assume she was born in a hospital or had been attended to by a medical professional, possibly a midwife.
Post-mortem results have also shown that the infant was actually in the water for up to one day – not several.
She was found naked in the sea, but there were no obvious signs of trauma suffered by the 14-day-old baby.
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A medical examiner ruled the case as homicide because the cause of death was suffocation. She was a healthy weight when delivered.
It has also transpired that, according to DNA analysis, her parents are a mix of African and Central Asian ancestry – usually found in Barbados, Trinidad, or Jamaica – reported CBS12.
But, investigators have failed to track down relatives in the genealogical database.
They have also trawled through hundreds of verified newborns in area hospitals – to no avail.
A $10,000 reward for any information on her identity, where she was born, who to and when, has also drawn a blank, despite scores of tips.
DRIFT MYSTERY
Adding to the confusion is that it's not clear where she drifted from. Cops believe that June floated north from Broward County, after conducting "drift tests" of the ocean waters.
At one stage sheriffs investigated whether the infant could have come off a migrant boat. They also feared that there was a "mother floating, or somebody else", according to the podcast.
Yet when they questioned officials in the Bahamas, they were told there were no reports of missing babies or suspicious cases.
Officers haven't given up hope, though, as they have again publicised the death, and pleaded for tips to finally solve the mystery.
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