1 Year Later, 'Baby Angel' Mystery Still Frustrating Investigators
HOMER, Minn. (WCCO) -- The mystery of "Baby Angel" continues one year after a child's body was found floating in the Mississippi River. The seven pound infant girl was found on Sept. 5th by boaters inside a canvas bag near Homer.
"I think all of our agents, investigators, detectives and scientist have a sense of frustration with a case like this," said Drew Evans, Sr. Special Agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
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Evans believes the baby was in the river for a very short period of time before boaters found her. As a matter of fact the boaters thought the infant had just recently died.
"They tried to revive the baby at the time," said Evans.
The newborn was wrapped in a green T-shirt, encased in two brown plastic garbage bags and then placed inside a canvas tourist tote. That tote was embroidered with sailboats and the Mexican resort area of Manzanillo. The bag also contained several glass angel figurines, which is how she quickly received the name "Baby Angel."
After one year of searching for answers, leads are going dry and tips are starting to dwindle, according to the BCA.
"We don't ever forget about the case," said Evans. "We continue to follow up on the case as investigators."
In April, an autopsy on "Baby Angel" produced a good sample of DNA. Evans says they continue doing analysis on the DNA and haven't been able to determine who the infant's parents are.
"That's an ongoing process," said Evans. "We'll continue examining our databases as additional people are put into those databases."
The child's cause of death is still listed as "undetermined." Evans says the medical examiner in Hastings needs to speak with the parents of the child, once they're found, so he can determine an exact cause.
"Baby Angel" was laid to rest at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Winona, Minn.
The BCA also continues investigating three other cases of children left in the river.
In November of 1999, a little girl was found near Red Wing. Then a boy, believed to be that baby's brother, was discovered near Frontenac in 2003.
In 2007, a girl baby was found at the Treasure Island Marina.
"We want to figure out exactly what happened and the circumstances surrounding why that child ended up in the river," said Evans. "To give everybody a sense of closure, the parents, the community and everybody else that's involved in working with the case."
The BCA is still asking for the public's help identifying the child's parents. You can contact the Winona County Sheriff's Office tip line at 1-507-457-6530 or the BCA tip line at 1-877-996-6222.
