Police in Manchester, New Hampshire, organized a funeral Monday for an unidentified newborn girl who was found deceased in March, located in a pond within a city park.
The newborn, who is now called “Baby Grace Doe,” was found on March 27 floating in the water at Pine Island Park in Manchester. Police later determined she was placed in the pond sometime between March 25 and March 27. Authorities are still trying to locate her mother and determine how she died.
Police named the infant Grace as “a symbol of dignity, peace, and the enduring kindness of a community that refuses to let her pass unacknowledged.”
The community came together to organize the funeral for Grace, including a wake and service for the public to attend. Police also released an artist’s rendering of Grace last week. Her obituary stated, “She will be laid to rest with love, carried not only by those present, but by all who recognize the value of every human life, no matter how brief. ”
“This baby deserves to be recognized. The way she was discarded is heartbreaking, and it is important that we give her a proper farewell. No matter the circumstances, every life deserves honor and remembrance,” said Manchester Police Chief Peter Marr in a statement.
“Her brief life may have been tragic, but at least she’s been laid to rest in a respectful way and with dignity,” he added.
“I know for our police officers, it gives a sense of closure,” Marr said of the funeral. “It’s a horrible incident that happened. Nobody should be treated that way. Nobody deserves to be discarded the way that baby Grace was, so I think it’s the right thing to do.”
Like every state, New Hampshire has a safe haven law that would have allowed Baby Grace’s parent(s) to safely surrender her to authorities without any ramifications. The law allows a parent to surrender a child no more than 61 days old to any hospital or staffed fire department, church, or law enforcement facility.
Authorities are offering a $5,000 reward for anyone who can provide the Manchester police with information that leads to a breakthrough in the case.
