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MCSO: DNA analysis obtained in Baby Moses case

Posted at 10:17 PM, Sep 22, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-23 18:38:04-04

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday that DNA analysis in the case of ‘Baby Moses’ is now complete.

The 3-decade-old cold case was reopened last September after remains of the infant were discovered in Martin County. 

“We’ll move now from that part of it, the technical part, to trying to find a match with a suspect,” Sheriff William Snyder says.

The infant’s body was found floating in the St. Lucie River back in 1983. 

The case went cold for more than 30 years, until a team of forensic scientists exhumed remains from Fernhill Memorial Gardens in January.

The task proved difficult, as the sheriff says the remains that were recovered were minimal.

What they did find was sent to a lab at the University of North Texas for analysis. 

“The lab is renown for it’s ability to get DNA from the smallest particles and the oldest particles, so we really are fortunate that they were willing to take this case,” Snyder says.

With that DNA now in hand, Sheriff Snyder says investigators hope to match it to the baby’s parents - and hopefully make a break in this decades old mystery .

“If we hadn’t tried on this case, I don’t think I could’ve slept,” he says. “I think every case, every cold homicide case cries for justice. This is no different…and we’re going to do everything we can to find justice for that baby.” 

EARLIER STORY

The Martin County Sheriff's Office said Thursday that it has obtained the results of DNA analysis in the 32-year-old cold case of Baby Moses. 

Officials say the next step is to pursue possible suspects. 

The infant's body was found floating in the St. Lucie River in 1983.

RELATED: Exhumation of 3 infants begins in Martin County

The case was reopened in September when crews exhumed the remains of the infant. 

Since September, a forensic anthropologist has been examining the remains and soil deposits. 

This is a developing story and it will be updated as more information becomes available.