Mother charged in death of newborn found floating in pond

A New Hampshire woman has been arrested after the body of her newborn daughter was found floating in a pond.

Key Takeaways:

• A little girl named "Baby Grace" by the Manchester, New Hampshire community was found floating in a pond.

• Her mother, Hepay Juma, has been arrested for reckless second-degree murder.

• The cause of death has not been announced, but police say Juma is responsible for the baby's death.

The Details:

The body of Baby Grace was extricated from the cold water of Pine Island Park in Manchester, New Hampshire, last March. Almost a year later, authorities have revealed that they have arrested her mother, 26‑year‑old Hepay Juma of Manchester, and charged Juma with reckless second‑degree murder.

Authorities detained Juma on February 26, accusing her of “manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of human life.”

“We felt that there was sufficient evidence to proceed with an arrest for reckless second-degree murder,” Senior Assistant Attorney General Nicholas Chong Yen said. “That means that this was a homicide, that Hepay Juma caused the death of Baby Doe.”

After conducting an autopsy, authorities regarded Grace's death as suspicious. However, investigators have not divulged details regarding the cause of death or the circumstances leading to her mother’s arrest.

READ: Could ‘pregnancy outcomes’ language excuse crimes like this ‘gruesome’ infanticide?

“Unfortunately, we can’t go into much detail about what that involved in terms of the identification, but what we can say is that Manchester was tireless in terms of tracking down every lead, following up on information provided by the public and making sure that they took the investigative steps necessary to be able to make the correct identification,” Yen said.

After the discovery of Baby Grace’s body, police appealed to the public for assistance. They asked anyone who might have witnessed someone placing anything in the water during the two weeks prior to come forward, as well as anyone who knew of a woman who had recently given birth and might have needed medical attention. A funeral service for Baby Grace took place last May, with members of the public invited to attend and offer their condolences.

"The way she was discarded is heartbreaking, and it is important that we give her a proper farewell," Chief Marr said of Baby Grace in 2025. 

The infant’s father has been identified, though his name has not been disclosed to the public. Juma opted to waive her arraignment and continues to be held in custody. She is due to appear in court for a probable cause hearing.

The Bottom Line:

Every U.S. state has a Safe Haven law that allows parents to anonymously surrender their child with no fear of arrest. The New Hampshire version allows parents to surrender a newborn baby up to 61 days old at any hospital, staffed church, fire department, or law enforcement facility.

Juma herself may have felt alienated, vulnerable, or mentally unstable due to her crisis pregnancy and had little support, resources, or hope. Mourning for Baby Grace also means increasing efforts to support pregnancy resource centers, promoting awareness of safe‑haven laws, and devoting time and resources to help vulnerable women and families in crisis.