Investigators with the Mackinac County Sheriff’s Office and Michigan State Police have made an arrest in a cold case that dates back to 1997.
In 1997, investigators with the Mackinac County Sheriff’s Office and the Michigan State Police St. Ignace Post investigated an incident where the remains of an unidentified infant were discovered in a vault toilet at the Garnet Lake Campground in Hudson Township in Mackinac County. Local officials eventually named the child “Baby Garnet.”
Although an investigation took place, the infant was never positively identified and the case went cold until the summer of the 2017, when investigators began reviewing the case for any further leads and used forensic genetic genealogy to assist in the case.
By working with a genealogist and investigating the submitted DNA, investigators were provided with the family blood lines. According to the sheriff’s office, a genealogist was able to provide investigators with the name of the birth mother.
On Tuesday, investigators traveled to Wyoming where the mother and now former resident of the Garnet area currently resides. While in Wyoming, they were able to make contact with the woman, 58, who confirmed she was the birth mother of “Baby Garnet.” The woman also provided probable cause to arrest her on the charge of open murder.
The suspect was arrested and is currently awaiting extradition back to Michigan.
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