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 #1What is the origin and significance of the distinctive African Plains beach towel? Could it help identify the family or location where the infant was born?
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person
Lead #2Who gave birth to this infant and why was she abandoned? Was she born at a hospital or at home?
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witness
Lead #3Did anyone at or near the shopping center notice suspicious activity on December 4, 1986, or in the days preceding the discovery?
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 an African Plains scene. The infant, weighing approximately 7 pounds with dark hair and brown eyes, was ruled a homicide victim by asphyxiation, but her identity remains 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
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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.
💡
clue
Lead #4The infant was full-term and healthy at birth—what circumstances led to her death by asphyxiation?
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 depicting African Plains scene, located in dumpster behind shopping center at Ganttown Road and Rt. 42
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:December 4, 1986
Last Updated:September 9, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:December 4, 1986
Last Updated:September 9, 2026