Unidentified Baby (2009) - Indianapolis IN

The process of embalming a baby can be different from an adult, and
that difference could interfere with the ability to collect certain
types of DNA. The problem has presented itself to investigators
who are trying to determine the identity of a baby who was found four
months ago in a Dumpster in the 2300 block of North Illinois Street by
two people looking for scrap metal. Brian Miller is program
chair of the mortuary science program at Ivy Tech Community College. He
said that, sometimes, babies' veins are too small to handle embalming
fluid. "So in that case, we use an external embalming process
and it's using surface packs. And what you do is you saturate cotton or
some kind of absorbent material, or you use an embalming gel and you
actually will place that on the exterior surface of the skin. And the
gels or the chemicals that we use are potent enough that they can
actually penetrate into the tissues and embalm the tissues," said
Miller. If the body found in the Dumpster had been embalmed, identification could be difficult.

The
CEO of Strand Analytical Laboratories in Indianapolis said his
scientists say embalming fluid could degrade samples of nuclear DNA. Investigators have not released much information about the case.

A grand jury in Marion County is looking at it.

INDIANAPOLIS - Police are investigating after an infant's body was found in a dumpster. The baby did have a diaper on and an autopsy is being performed on Tuesday. It is not known whether or not those results will be released.

Martin Murillo tells Fox 59 News he searched the trash dumpster at 24th and Illinois last Thursday and didn't see a baby inside.

"I searched the top soft part of the trash and took some hoses to use on cars. There was no baby in the dumpster, I'm sure," said Murillo.

Murillo works one building south at Tutweiller's collision body shop. He says police haven't interviewed him. A couple looking for scrap metal found the deceased infant at noon on Monday and called 9-1-1. The dumpster was fllled with trash from a warehouse party that took place around September 19th.

"We don't know if the baby was stillborn, or died of natural causes, or if there was foul play," said Sgt. Matt Mount with Metro police. "We don't think this was a homicide but we are taking the necessary precautions to protect the integrity of the evidence in case."

Investigators removed the infant's body behind a white sheet around 3:00pm Monday. A tow truck then removed the dumpster so investigators can search for additional evidence.

"Who would do that to a little baby," said Tina Allen as she put her own newborn baby girl Mykell into her car seat. "There are a lot of people who would take in a child. Whoever did this needs to go to jail."

The infant was found towards the top of the dumpster covered by just a few pieces of trash. The coroner will complete an autopsy which will give police more information to further the investigation.