DNA Links Massachusetts Woman to 1985 Death of Newborn Son

Recently, authorities in Massachusetts revealed that DNA evidence from a soda bottle has linked Dianne Curry Peck to the 1985 death of her newborn son. The infant, known as ‘Baby Boy Doe,’ was discovered deceased in a wooded area by a father and son who were rabbit hunting.

Peck, now 59, appeared in court and pled not guilty to the charge of murder related to her son’s death in Mansfield, Massachusetts. FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Ted Docks expressed sympathy for the tragic case, stating, “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.”

The child’s remains were found on January 26, 1985. A father and son spotted footprints in the snow and initially thought the baby was a doll. WCVB reported that the infant was naked with the umbilical cord still attached, suggesting it was recently born and soon after passed away.

The Mansfield Police Department, alongside former New England Patriots quarterback Steve Grogan, financed the funeral for the baby, according to Boston 25 News.

After the case went cold for decades, it was reopened in 2022 with the collaboration of the FBI and state authorities. Forensic genetic genealogy helped trace the baby’s DNA back to Peck. The breakthrough came from DNA on a soda bottle found in Peck’s trash, which matched the child’s profile.

At the time of the birth, Peck was a 17-year-old high school student. She reportedly told investigators that she gave birth in the back seat of her ex-boyfriend’s car, then handed the baby to him under the impression he would arrange an adoption. Peck believed the child was a girl and stated she never communicated with her ex-boyfriend again. He passed away in 2020.

Prosecutors highlighted that no evidence shows that anyone, including the ex-boyfriend, knew of her pregnancy. Discrepancies arose as Peck reported the birth date as January 20, 1985, but prosecutors questioned this due to the infant’s condition and the freezing weather.

A medical examiner indicated that the infant had been in the woods for approximately 12 hours before being found. Fox News Digital reached out to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office and Peck’s attorney for additional comments.