Coroner: Infant too badly decomposed to determine cause of death

MONTGOMERY, Ohio - The body of a newborn infant dropped off at an area hospital in September and pronounced dead was too badly decomposed to determine a cause of death, officials said Tuesday.

Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco, Hamilton County coroner, said DNA technology has determined the newborn was a boy and who his biological mother was, although WCPO isn't naming the woman at this time.

“Concerning the cause and manner of death, due to severe decomposition it was not possible to even determine if the baby had been born alive,” Sammarco said in a prepared statement. “Therefore, we were not able to assign a cause or manner of death.”

The baby, who is believed to have been less than a week old, was brought by her mother and grandmother to Bethesda North Hospital on the night of Sept. 10.

Montgomery police determined the child was dead.

The infant, which was wrapped in a blanket, was so badly decomposed it was difficult to determine if the baby had suffered any trauma, Sammarco said in September.

Sammarco previously said the baby looked to be full term, but wasn't born in a hospital.

The investigation centered around a house in Kennedy Heights in the 3800 block of Dunloe Avenue.

Cincinnati police are working to determine if a crime was committed. Charges have not been filed.