‘We want to devote every resource we have’: Police search for leads after dead baby found
Police are investigating the death of a young child who was found in the woods in the east part of Kansas City
By Mark Poulose
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV) — Police are investigating the death of a young child who was found in the woods in the east part of Kansas City, Missouri.
Saturday evening around 7:45 p.m., KCPD found a dead baby in the woods near the intersection of E 41st Steet and Pittman Road, about a mile northeast of the Truman Sports Complex.
“This is a situation where we want to devote every resource we have,” said KCPD Spokesman Sgt. Jake Becchina.
Right now, police do not know the baby’s age, gender, or name.
“Today, on Mother’s Day, there is at least one mother who is without their baby,” Becchina said. “Those people know who they are and they have the answers that investigators need.”
Currently, KCPD is treating it as a death investigation. However, the scene was thoroughly vetted by a full squad of homicide detectives. The medical examiner has yet to determine a cause of death.
“Without somebody coming forward, it’s hard to quantify how big of a challenge it is. With grown people, there are connections that adult people make, there’s technology that they carry with them, there’s all sorts of things that can aid an investigation if they turn up dead. A small baby doesn’t have that,” said Becchina. “Right now, this baby is relying on somebody that knows something to come forward.”
Off camera, a man who lives in the area told KCTV5 that homeless people live in the woods where the baby was found. He also told us people go there to smoke marijuana.
“The biggest thing is that we know there are people in the community that know what happened here,” said Becchina. “There has to be. There is no other explanation for it.”
If you have any information about this case, KCPD asks that you call the Homicide line directly at 816-234-5034. You can also call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS if you wish to remain anonymous.
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