The person at the center of this case
Baby Jane Doe (unidentified newborn female)
Cold Case · Open
39 years waiting · since 1986
BABY JANE DOE
Justice for Baby Jane Doe (unidentified newborn female) — the trail went cold in 1986, but the truth hasn't.
Start here
Key leads to think about
🔍
evidence
Lead #1The distinctive beach towel with African Plains cheetah design—where did it come from and who owned it? This could be a key identifier.
👤
person
Lead #2Who was the mother of this infant and why was she not reported missing or seeking medical care?
👁️
witness
Lead #3Did anyone at or near the shopping center on December 4, 1986 see suspicious activity or someone disposing of items in the dumpster?
On December 4, 1986, the remains of a newborn girl were discovered in a dumpster behind a shopping center in Washington Township, New Jersey, wrapped in a distinctive beach towel with an African Plains design. The infant, approximately 7 pounds with dark hair and brown eyes, was ruled a homicide victim by asphyxiation, but her identity and the circumstances of her death remain unknown nearly four decades later. The FBI Philadelphia Field Office continues to seek information from the public to identify the victim and locate those responsible for her death.
Case
#416
Federal Bureau of Investigation Philadelphia Field Office and Gloucester County, New Jersey law enforcement
Try asking
Claim this imported case
A one-time $10 claim transfers this imported case workspace to your account. You get 10 uploads for this case, 25 daily AI questions for this case, and public tips with files route to you.
10 uploads25 AI questions/day
This does not start a subscription. When the included limits are reached, the Personal plan unlocks more workspace capacity.
More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
💡
clue
Lead #4The infant was full-term and healthy—was she born at a hospital, at home, or elsewhere? Medical records could help identify her.
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
🔍
1986-12-04
morningInfant remains discovered
Full-term newborn female found in silver plastic trash bag wrapped in beach towel with African Plains scene design in dumpster behind shopping center
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:December 4, 1986 at Invalid Date
Last Updated:July 22, 2026
Leave a comment
Comments
Case Information
Incident:December 4, 1986 at Invalid Date
Last Updated:July 22, 2026