Sexually Assaulted and Murdered - Essay Example

? Report on Baby Hope The following is a report on a case that culminated after two decades on a 4 year old child who was sexually assaulted and murdered with her body being disposed off in a white and blue cooler in the Bronx. The Washington Heights police station that had been responsible for the case saw police officers remain relentless in finding the killer where they also named the baby Hope in a bid to signify their determination to find justice for the girl. Also, the police officers were hoping someone would come forward and identify the child. The findings section shows how months subsequent to the discovery of the girl’s body saw certain facts emerge, where it was discovered that the girl was malnourished and sexually abused. Notably also, the investigators gave information on when the body was found and when it might have been dropped off in the woods of Henry Hudson Parkway as they sought to get details on who had dropped off the cooler. The recommendations given are to help other investigators in future or old cases to get information and support from the public. The conclusion highlights a theme of humanizing a dead girl and remaining relentless to solve the case. Introduction On July 23 1991, a 3- 5 year girl’s body was uncovered in a blue picnic cooler in Manhattan’s upper side, close to Dyckman Street. Detectives issued posters with a toll free number for the public to call in with any information regarding persons carrying the cooler around that area. Employees of a construction company came across the decaying body close to the Henry Hudson Parkway early afternoon hours. The girl was naked, hands and feet tied with the only item on her being a string that held her hair in a pony tail presumably (The New York Times, August 3 1991). The Missing Person’s Squad, according to Detective Joseph Gallagher a police spokesman, could not determine if the child had been reported missing owing to the condition in which she was found (The New York Times, July 24 1991.). Findings On June 14, five photographs were discovered next to Route 46 in Garfield, New Jersey. The Polaroid photographers were found in a shopping bag every one showing a girl having oral sex with a man whose face was cut out of the pictures. During October one of the police officers deliberated that those photographs had familial ties to the Baby Hope case as there was a connection linking them to the police composites. Investigators proceeded to send the skull of the dead girl and the photos to the forensic laboratory of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington. Dr. Douglas Ubelaker from the Smithsonian Institute assisted the FBI in determining that the photographs along with the girl found in the cooler undoubtedly indicated the same person. This was revealed to the public in January of the following year by the Bergen County Prosecutor, John Fahy. At this time, more descriptive details of the girl were released where it was revealed that she was 3 feet 2 inches tall, white and possibly Hispanic, slight build, olive complexion and reddish-brown hair. In addition, she had on a ring on the left hand and her ears being pierced. This allowed the FBI to create a photograph enhanced by computer that was not sexually explicit, to the public (Myers, 1992). Homicide Investigators from the Washington Heights police station issued out posters on the anniversary of the finding of Baby Hope. One such poster indicated that a $12,000 reward would be given to anyone with information on the girl and a toll free number given at the bottom. October this year saw new light being shed into the investigation where a tip was received from a woman who claimed to know the sister of Baby Hope. This information enabled investigators to interview a number of people and this led to confirmation of the identity of Baby Hope’s mother as scientific evidence was used. The woman that gave the tip stated that she had spoken to a woman who had told her that her sister had been killed. After seeing the news reporting on the investigation at the time, the woman thought that it was likely the woman she had spoken to was a sister to Baby Hope. The investigators’ determination is seen again in 2011 where they had Baby Hope’s body dug up to procure DNA samples and match against convicted persons in the criminal database and missing persons reported. Unfortunately, this did not produce anything. The girl had been laid to rest at the Bronx, at St. Raymond’s Cemetery (Fitzsimmons, 2013). During the summer of this year, in July, police officers decided to take a more aggressive approach where they went through Washington Heights in a van with loudspeakers announcing for any information regarding the Baby Hope case. This effort bore the fruits of the woman that produced the tip on Baby Hope’s sister. The mother of Baby Hope was identified and the girl’s name finally figured out after investigators covertly acquired DNA samples of the mother. The mother talked with prosecutors as well as police detectives out of the Manhattan district attorney’s office and this led to further discoveries in the case. Information on the father was not revealed though investigators were looking into family members from that side where it was clarified that the mother was not a suspect. From the mother, the police were able to learn that the father was the one responsible for the girl and that she had been separated from him and he had disappeared; her attempts to find her daughter were futile. The woman that shed light into the case had had a conversation with Baby Hope’s sister who said she had found out about her sister’s death from another sister, younger than her, who lived with Baby Hope (Barron& Goldstein, 2013). Baby Hope’s name was in fact Anjelica Castillo who was given birth in 1987, implying that she was four years upon her death. Conrado Juarez, a cousin to Anjelica, came to be identified as her killer in October of this year and he confessed to sexually abusing and smothered her to death. His sister, Miss Ramirez, who was in the house during the crime instructed Juarez to dispose of the body and went on to hand him the cooler. They then proceeded to hail a livery cab that drove them to Henry Hudson Parkway where they dropped off the cooler with the body inside. Mr. Juarez was prosecuted and indicted of murder. The girl had been born at Elmhurst Hospital Centre in Queens (Schwirtz& Rashbaum, 2013). Recommendations New York is a state known for having alarming high rates of crime where in 1991 2,154 murders were reported. It becomes clear that resources are bound to be strained and some cases left unsolved. However, Baby Hope’s case was successful following persistent efforts by investigators primarily from the 34th precinct of the Washington Heights police station. The efforts were combined to include fanning out into the streets of New York every year giving out posters and fliers, visiting old addresses, talking to relatives and neighbors, forensic investigation and public outreach. This illustrates the usefulness of combined efforts when pursuing a case with little to no facts. In addition, having a superior dedicated to the case such as Lieutenant Joseph Reznick who commandeered the police officers at the 34th precinct is seen to have a positive, significant effect. It is also important that law enforcement find a way to encourage immigrants to come forward with any relevant information on cases as neighbors of Ms. Ramirez along with Juarez must have noticed that something had gone wrong when they no longer saw Anjelica; yet they could not come forward as they were in the country illegally (Goodman, 2013). Conclusion Baby Hope’s case was able to find closure following determined efforts from investigators and goodwill from the public where an effort such as having a headstone for the girl at the cemetery was able to arouse the public’s interest. The police were able to dignify the 4 year girl whose lifeless body was all they had to go on, by having a headstone adorned with flowers and stuffed Elmo doll to create a picture of the life she should have had (Wilson, 2013). This etched an image into the public’s mind that allowed them to possibly stay alert and come forward with any information as the story became relatable. The case has provided a blueprint for other investigators all over the country providing them with learning points on cold cases or seemingly hopeless cases. References The New York Times. (August 3 1991). Despite Calls, Girl in Cooler Is Not Identified. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/03/nyregion/despite-calls-girl-in-cooler-is-not-identified.html The New York Times. (July 24 1991). Girl’s Decayed Body Found in Picnic Cooler. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1991/07/24/nyregion/girl-s-decayed-body-found-in-picnic-cooler.html Myers, S. (January 16 1992). Photographs are Linked to Body of Girl Who Was Found in Cooler. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/16/nyregion/photographs-are-linked-to-body-of-girl-who-was-found-in-cooler.html Fitzsimmons, E. (October 7 2013). Mother of ‘Baby Hope’ Is Identified, Police Say. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/08/nyregion/mother-of-baby-hope-is-identified-police-say.html Barron, J., Goldstein, J. (October 8 2013). Dead 22 Years, Baby Hope Has A Name Again. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/09/nyregion/baby-hopes-mother-is-questioned-as-investigators-proceed-with-caution.html Schwirtz, M., Rashbaum, W. (October 12 2013). Cousin Arrested in Baby Hope Killing After 22 Years. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/nyregion/baby-hope.html Goodman, J. (October 13 2013). As Police Chased Leads About ‘Baby Hope,’ Those Who Knew Her Kept Quiet. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/14/nyregion/despite-furor-over-baby-hope-many-family-members-remained-silent.html Wilson, M. At the Gravestone of ‘Baby Hope,’ Investigators Who Never Let Go. The New York Times. October 8 2013. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/09/nyregion/at-the-gravestone-of-baby-hope-investigators-who-never-let-go.html?_r=0 Read More