A couple who fled after abandoning their infant in a trash can were caught after 31 years thanks to DNA tracking technology.
US Fox News and others reported on the 13th (local time) that a couple who fled after abandoning a 3-week-old infant in a trash can were finally caught in 1992, 31 years ago. Forensic technology played a big role in tracking the couple. Inga Johansson and Andrew Carrier were arrested and charged with murder and desecration. The couple turned out to be the infant’s parents.
In 1992, an unnamed baby girl was found by a farmer in Mississippi who was collecting scrap metal. The state coroner’s office determined through an autopsy that the infant was only three weeks old and that she died within minutes of being born. The investigation into the infant abandoners continued, but she was forgotten without producing much results.
In 2021, an anonymous Mississippi forensic team agent proposed a re-investigation to find an infant abandoner who had not been caught 31 years ago. Agents reopening the investigation were able to analyze the DNA information of an infant from 31 years ago, thanks to a grant that supports forensic DNA testing for unsolved crimes.
After tracing through the infant’s DNA, the search team was able to locate an anonymous Louisiana resident matching the infant’s DNA. The search team took DNA samples from the villager’s four children. After DNA matching with the infant, the Carrieres were caught after 31 years.
“It doesn’t matter who caught the killer,” said retired police officer Freddy Drennan, who took charge of the case decades ago. I am really happy to see the end of this case,” he said, thanking the search team for catching the real culprit instead of him. Louisiana State Police also said in an official statement, “This case is vivid evidence of breakthroughs in forensic technology and the dedication of the forensic team to administer justice.”
The arrested couple are said to be held temporarily at Jefferson Parish Penitentiary before being extradited to Mississippi.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.