BOSTON, MA – After an extensive investigation, a Massachusetts prosecutor has made the decision not to press criminal charges concerning the discovery of four newborn bodies found in a South Boston apartment freezer two years ago.
The remains of two boys and two girls, believed to have been born many years ago, were found wrapped in tinfoil inside shoeboxes in November 2022. However, investigators were unable to determine if the infants were born alive. The parents were identified during the inquiry, but given that the father is deceased and the identified mother, a 69-year-old, suffers from cognitive issues, a trial seems unlikely.
Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden acknowledged the conclusion of the complex investigation on Tuesday, mentioning that many questions about this case would remain unanswered. Those puzzling aspects include the time and location of the babies’ births, their viability at birth, the events that led to their deaths, and the concealment of the pregnancies.
Attempts to garner responses from the woman’s lawyer went unanswered. The woman currently resides in a residential healthcare facility. According to investigators who interviewed her, her state of confusion was such that she could not comprehend her location or the individuals she was conversing with. Therefore, she was not able to provide any valuable information pertinent to the case.
Hayden’s statement reasserted the ethical boundaries that the prosecutor’s offices operate within, implying that they cannot push a case that they believe cannot be legitimately moved to trial.
Family members cleaning the woman’s apartment initially found the tiny bodies. Genetic tests confirmed that all four newborns were siblings. Forensic investigation estimated that the babies were between 37 and 40 weeks old when they died, their umbilical cords still attached and devoid of visible injuries.
The investigation also revealed that the couple had another child who was given up for adoption after the father died in 2011.