DNA Links Massachusetts Woman To 1985 Newborn Death; Murder Charge Filed
Dianne Curry Peck, 59, was arraigned on a murder charge and pleaded not guilty Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in Bristol County in connection with the 1985 death of a newborn found in Mansfield woods.[1]
Prosecutors say DNA recovered from a soda bottle taken from Peck's trash matched the infant's DNA after investigators used forensic genetic genealogy to reopen the case.[1] The newborn, dubbed "Baby Boy Doe," was found naked with his umbilical cord attached on January 26, 1985, and was determined to have been born alive.[1]
In April 2022, the Bristol County district attorney's office expanded its cold case unit to include unidentified remains and added the Mansfield investigation. FBI agents helped develop a DNA profile from the infant's remains and used family-tree analysis that led investigators to Peck as a lead in early 2024.[1]
Peck has told investigators she gave birth on January 20, 1985, in her ex-boyfriend's car and said she gave him the infant.[1] Prosecutors say that timeline conflicts with the medical examiner's estimate that the body had been in the woods about 12 hours.[1]
The mainstream summary does not mention the broader context of infant homicides in the United States, where an average of 267 such cases occurred annually from 2017 to 2020, indicating a rate of 7.11 per 100,000 births. This statistic underscores the prevalence of similar tragic events and may provide insight into societal issues surrounding infant safety and maternal support. Additionally, forensic genetic genealogy has been instrumental in solving at least 545 criminal cases by the end of 2022, a detail that highlights the growing reliance on advanced DNA techniques in cold cases like Peck's. This method not only identifies suspects but also sheds light on the systemic issues related to neonaticide, particularly among young, unmarried mothers, as outlined in recent studies that link these cases to factors like lack of prenatal care and concealed pregnancies. Such insights could deepen the public's understanding of the circumstances surrounding Peck's alleged crime and the societal implications of her actions.[2][3]
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📊 Relevant Data
There were an average of 267 infant homicides per year in the United States during 2017–2020, for a rate of 7.11 per 100,000 births.
New Studies: Fetal Mortality and Infant Homicides — CDC National Center for Health Statistics
Forensic genetic genealogy has been used to solve at least 545 criminal cases in the United States as of December 31, 2022.
How Many Cases Have Been Solved with Forensic Genetic Genealogy — Forensic Magazine
📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, Dianne Curry Peck, 59, was arraigned on a murder charge and pleaded not guilty in Bristol County, Massachusetts.
- The newborn, dubbed "Baby Boy Doe," was found naked with umbilical cord attached in woods in Mansfield on Jan. 26, 1985, and was determined to have been born alive.
- Forensic genetic genealogy reopened the case in 2022, and DNA from a soda bottle retrieved from Peck's trash allegedly matched the infant's DNA.
- Peck allegedly told investigators she gave birth on Jan. 20, 1985, in her ex-boyfriend's car and gave him the baby, but prosecutors say that timeline conflicts with the medical examiner's estimate that the body had been in the woods about 12 hours.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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