A woman from Iowa has been charged with killing her baby 32 years ago.
On December 21, 1992, police were notified that a baby’s body had been discovered at the Iowa City landfill. The city police department and the state Division of Criminal Investigation have launched an investigation into the child’s death.
According to KCRG, police have dubbed the child “Baby John Doe.”
Due to the limitations of DNA technology at the time, investigators were unable to learn much about the child’s birth conditions or death.
But times have changed, and technology has advanced dramatically. Due to these advancements, police reopened Baby John Doe’s case in October 2020.
Investigators believe they have identified who gave birth to Baby John Doe.
Cindy Sue Elder, 58, formerly known as Cindy Sue Eckrich, is the child’s mother, police say. She would have been 26 years old when she gave birth.
Elder told investigators in February 2022 at her home in Clever, Missouri, that she gave birth while living in Iowa City.
According to a criminal complaint, Elder told investigators that the baby was alive when he was born and that she “did something” to stop his crying. She allegedly admitted to police that she placed the baby in a plastic bag before dumping him in a trash can near her father’s home in Coralville.
Elder reportedly told investigators that she did not want to be pregnant and that she concealed the pregnancy, including from the baby’s father. She claimed she had never received prenatal care and attempted to induce a miscarriage by punching herself in the stomach.
The child’s father told police that he had no idea Elder was pregnant or had given birth.
Elder was charged with one count of first-degree murder and booked into the Christian County Jail on Tuesday.
“This case exemplifies our commitment to crime victims, especially the most vulnerable,” Iowa City Police Chief Dustin Liston said. “I am grateful for the dedication, partnerships, and technological advances that have made this arrest possible.”
