The person at the center of this case
Baby Jane Doe (unknown newborn female infant)
Cold Case · Open
39 years waiting · since 1986
BABY JANE DOE
Justice for Baby Jane Doe (unknown newborn female infant) — the trail went cold in 1986, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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evidence
Lead #1Beach towel with African Plains cheetah design—where was it purchased and who owned it?
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person
Lead #2Who was the biological mother and why was the infant abandoned?
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location
Lead #3Were there nearby residences or businesses with records from December 1986 that could identify visitors?
On December 4, 1986, the remains of a full-term newborn girl were discovered in a dumpster behind a shopping center in Washington Township, New Jersey, wrapped in a distinctive beach towel depicting African Plains wildlife. The infant, weighing approximately 7 pounds with dark hair and brown eyes, was ruled a homicide victim by asphyxiation, but her identity and the circumstances surrounding her death remain unknown. Nearly four decades later, the FBI and Gloucester County law enforcement continue seeking information to identify the victim and locate those responsible.
Case
#416
Federal Bureau of Investigation (Philadelphia Field Office) and Gloucester County, New Jersey law enforcement
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
👁️
witness
Lead #4Did anyone report seeing suspicious activity at the shopping center on December 3-4, 1986?
💡
clue
Lead #5The infant was full-term and appeared healthy—was there a recent birth reported at local hospitals?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
Homicide Victim Washington Township, New Jersey December 4, 1986 The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Philadelphia Field Office and law enforcement officials in Gloucester County, New Jersey, are seeking the public's assistance in identifying an unknown deceased infant. On the morning of December 4, 1986, the remains of a full-term, White, newborn female infant were found in a dumpster behind a shopping center located at Ganttown Road and Rt.
42 in Washington Township, New Jersey. The infant weighed approximately 7 pounds and had dark hair and brown eyes.
She was found inside a silver, plastic trash bag wrapped in a beach towel that depicted an African Plains scene. The death was ruled a homicide by asphyxiation.
Timeline of Events
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1986-12-04
Infant remains discovered
Full-term newborn female infant found in silver plastic trash bag wrapped in beach towel behind shopping center dumpster
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:December 4, 1986
Last Updated:October 21, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:December 4, 1986
Last Updated:October 21, 2026