Reverend Michael Drury of St. Joseph Church baptized her and gave her the name “Baby Mary,” but her true identity remained shrouded in mystery for nearly four decades.
This story haunted Mendham Township, its police department, and the community at large. Year after year, the local residents met at the baby’s gravesite. And dedicated their Christmas Eve afternoons to ensure that Baby Mary was never forgotten. Justice for her remained elusive until now.
Nine years ago, former Chief Steven Crawford called for a renewed investigation into Baby Mary’s case, marking the 30th anniversary of the cold case. It would take 9 more years for the case to be solved.
The breakthrough in this cold case occurred through advanced DNA analysis.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll announced at a press conference on Thursday that the DNA analysis led investigators to identify the father first and then ultimately led them to the mother. Both have been verified as the biological parents of Baby Mary through DNA testing.
