A Massachusetts woman has been charged with murder in connection with the 1985 death of her newborn son, a case that remained unsolved for decades until DNA evidence from a discarded soda bottle allegedly linked her to the crime. Dianne Curry Peck, 59, appeared in court on Tuesday, entering a plea of not guilty to the murder charge related to the death of the infant, who became known as "Baby Boy Doe" in Mansfield, Massachusetts.
"Few cases are more heartbreaking than one involving a newborn baby, allegedly abandoned and left to die in the woods by his mother, deprived of the care, love and protection every child deserves," stated FBI Boston Special Agent-in-Charge Ted Docks outside the courthouse. "For 41 years, this child was known simply as Baby Boy Doe. He entered this world with limitless promise, but was denied the most basic right to live."
The Discovery of a Newborn in 1985
The infant's body was discovered on January 26, 1985, by a father and son who were hunting rabbits and noticed footprints in the snow. Initially, the pair mistook the child for a doll before realizing it was a naked infant lying on the ground.
An autopsy later confirmed that the child had been born alive but died a short time after birth. Kenneth Martin, who served as a Massachusetts State Police trooper assigned to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office at the time, described the scene, stating, "It was naked, lying on its back; the umbilical cord was still attached to the baby."
In a gesture of community support, the Mansfield Police Department, alongside former New England Patriots quarterback Steve Grogan, covered the expenses for the baby's funeral.
Breakthrough in a Decades-Old Cold Case
The investigation into the infant's death remained cold for many years until Bristol County investigators reopened the case in 2022. They collaborated with the FBI and state authorities, employing advanced forensic genetic genealogy techniques.
Investigators analyzed the baby’s DNA, which ultimately led them to Peck. Further DNA evidence, recovered from a soda bottle retrieved from her trash, allegedly solidified the link to the child, according to authorities.
Allegations and Disputed Timeline
At the time of the birth, Peck was a 17-year-old student attending Mansfield High School. She reportedly admitted to investigators that she had given birth to a child in the backseat of her ex-boyfriend’s vehicle.
Peck claimed she handed the baby to her ex-boyfriend, who, she stated, knew someone who would adopt the infant. She told investigators she believed she had given birth to a girl and never communicated with her ex-boyfriend again after that day. The ex-boyfriend passed away in 2020, as confirmed by the FBI.
Prosecutors have also indicated that there is no evidence suggesting anyone, including Peck’s ex-boyfriend, was aware of her pregnancy.
While Peck allegedly informed police that she gave birth on January 20, 1985, prosecutors presented arguments in court suggesting this timeline is inconsistent with both the condition of the baby’s body and the freezing temperatures prevalent at the time of discovery. A medical examiner concluded that the infant had likely been in the woods for approximately 12 hours prior to being found.
