Update on Deceased Infant Found at New Bedford's Fort Taber

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — More information has been released as the investigation continues into a deceased infant discovered earlier this month at New Bedford’s Fort Taber.

The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office is also seeking the public’s assistance in discovering more information about the male infant being referred to as “Baby Doe.”

On Saturday, December 9 at about 12:40 p.m., New Bedford Police responded to Fort Taber after receiving a 911 call regarding the discovery of a deceased infant.

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Police arrived on the scene and learned that a woman was walking along a path near the water with her pre-teen niece and saw a blanket in bushes near the walking path. She also detected an odor of decay.

The woman approached the blanket and found a white plastic bag wrapped inside of it. Inside the plastic bag was the decomposing body of the deceased infant.

The woman yelled over to two nearby men out walking their dog, and one of the men called 911. The D.A.’s Office said New Bedford Police detectives spoke to the men and the woman and determined none were involved in the baby’s death.

The infant’s body was transported to the Massachusetts Medical Examiner’s Office, and initial DNA testing revealed it was a male that was likely deceased for one to four weeks before being discovered. The D.A.’s Office said the official cause and manner of death is still pending final autopsy results.

Detectives are now reviewing several weeks’ worth of surveillance footage from the surrounding area, and the D.A.’s Office has partnered with a private lab in Texas “to perform extensive genealogical and forensic testing of DNA and other evidence,” according a release.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the D.A.’s Office, either in person or anonymously. You can contact New Bedford Police at (508) 991-6300, the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit at (508) 961-1901, or submit an anonymous tip by texting “Bristol” to CRIMES (274637).

“This is a terrible tragedy, especially when it occurs during the Christmas season. We should all keep the infant in our prayers,” D.A. Thomas Quinn said. “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.”