The Mystery of Baby Belle

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12th September 2021  •  3 min read

In 1996, the body of a baby girl was discovered wrapped in a blanket and sweater in Palm Beach County, Florida. Despite an exhaustive investigation, the identity of the baby girl, as well as the identity of her killer, still remains a mystery.


The Mystery of Baby Belle

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Morbidology is a weekly true crime podcast created and hosted by Emily G. Thompson. Using investigative research combined with primary audio, Morbidology takes an in-depth look at true crime cases from all across the world.


It was the 23rd of May, 1996, when a man was walking along a wooded canal bank on Old U.S. 27 in Clewiston, Palm Beach County, Florida. He was searching for scrap metal and cans when he came across a maroon and white Indian or Mexican style blanket and a woman’s black and white sweater. The area was in a seldom travelled dead-end road, around two miles from Hendry County.

The man decided he would investigate. As he got closer to the blanket and sweater, he noticed that there was a deceased baby girl wrapped up inside. She was estimated to be between four and six weeks old and was either white or Hispanic. The baby girl had black or dark brown hair. Due to decomposition, it couldn’t be determined what colour her eyes were.

The man immediately called police who cordoned off the area and transported the body to the medical examiner’s office for an autopsy to be conducted. It would determine that she had been dead for around five days. She also had a fractured mandible and maxilla and had died either of accidental or intentional injures.

The Mystery of Baby Belle
The sweater. Credit: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

With a cause of death determined, it was now time for an identification to be made. Unfortunately, due to the decomposition, fingerprints could not be lifted from the baby girl. Footprints, however, could be lifted and investigators would compare them to the footprints of hundreds of missing children that were available at local hospitals. None of them came back as a match.

Investigators would appeal to the public for information about the baby girl. However, no leads or tips came in. In an attempt to stir public interest, investigators working on the case would name the baby girl “Baby Belle” and would release a composite sketch of what she would have looked like before she died.

The grim discovery completely stunned the area and traumatised even the most seasoned investigators. The baby girl was barely a month old and she had met a violent death. “It hit a nerve with us,” said Sgt. Jim Stormes, who was supervising the investigation. They would ultimately announce that the death of Baby Belle was being investigated as a homicide.

The Mystery of Baby Belle
The blanket. The sweater. Credit: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

With a lack of leads, investigators would subpoena birth records from two hospital in the Glades area for all births up to eight weeks before Baby Belle was discovered. Within the first week, they were able to rule out 25 of the 30 babies that were born within that time frame.1

Twelve days after Baby Belle was discovered, investigators along with four clergymen planted a cross of white carnations, roses and daisies at the scene where Baby Belle was found.2 They continued in their search for information which could crack the case, speaking to local farmers who lived in the secluded area and holding multiple press conferences.

Very quickly, the tragic case went cold. “At this point, we’re pretty much at a dead end,” said Sgt. Stormes. “We have an infant who is not going to get a decent burial, and that’s extremely upsetting no matter how many cases you handle.”3

Despite an exhaustive investigation, the true identity of Baby Belle, along with the identity of the person who took her life, still remains a mystery.

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Footnotes:

  1. Sun Sentinel, 4 June, 1996 – “Authorities Try to Identify Infant”
  2. The Palm Beach Post, 4 June, 1996 – “Police Blotter”
  3. Sun Sentinel, 8 July, 1996 – “No End to Search for Names”

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Dee
Dee
3 years ago

So sad. It’s hard to believe that there wasn’t any tips to help aid in the investigation.

ZGal
ZGal
3 years ago

I wonder if any DNA samples were obtained. As the years have passed, it may be more likely to find out who the parents were.

Paul
Paul
3 years ago
Reply to  ZGal

I was thinking the same. DNA testing has come a long way since that time.

nancy sanders
nancy sanders
3 years ago
Reply to  ZGal

I was also thinking DNA if anything was saved.
also many records have been digitized now, should be a lot easier to search foot prints now if they scanned the hospital records into a computer data base.

WinterIvory
WinterIvory
2 years ago
Reply to  ZGal

That was my thoughts exactly. There had been so much progress with DNA since then ..

K. Babineaux
K. Babineaux
1 year ago
Reply to  ZGal

If not they can go back to the grave and get some now. This preshious baby needs some justice! There are some horrible people in this world that would harm a child at any age.

Paul
Paul
3 years ago

Terribly sad.

Thank you for sharing this forgotten story.

Ash
Ash
3 years ago

It seems that with 5 babies left of 30, just kind of going door-to-door and asking for a quick welfare check wouldn’t be the hardest thing in the world. I understand the “but muh freedums!” or whatever, but bring your baby to the door, do a “here it is, have a good one,” and go back to your life.

metalhead665
metalhead665
3 years ago

Such a sad and tragic story. Hopefully they find whoever killed this poor little baby and bring them to justice….

JenniferJuniper
JenniferJuniper
3 years ago

I live in PBC, but don’t recall this at all. 😔 I do know how desolate it can be out that way though. The Glades are known for farming of sugar cane and vegetables. There are miles upon miles of canals and rarely travelled dirt roads. While she was found near Clewiston, Belle Glade is a larger town that is right nearby. I’m assuming she was named Belle because of that. Poor little girl.

Jessickah
Jessickah
2 years ago

Sometimes I wonder what goes on inside some people’s heads. If you don’t want the baby, there are multiple orphanages, fire stations, and police stations. They happily take in children who are unwanted and bring them to places that want them. I just don’t understand…

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