http://www.carolinalive.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=235873

DNA samples may offer "substantial" lead


Horry County Police released a composite sketch of the infant
Hide Caption By Graeme Moore
Monday, December 15, 2008 at 10:52 p.m.


Lt. Jamie DeBari has spent the last ten days consumed by the investigation into a newborn found dead near Conway. He's leading the investigation into what happened to Baby Boy Doe who was found in a bag off Meadowbrook Drive.

On Monday, DeBari sat down with NewsChannel 15, although he was reluctant to answer a lot of questions surrounding the investigation.

"They're going to hurt the investigation if I give that information," DeBari explained.

He said there are no suspects at this time, although they continue to look into a few leads they received last week. But DeBari said the biggest lead may be to come, in the form of some pending DNA tests. He hopes they provide a substantial lead.

When asked where those DNA samples had come from, DeBari offered no further comment "because we're still following up with leads."

DeBari also added that he doesn't think the child was delivered in a hospital. That means the mother most likely has medical complications including prolonged bleeding, dizzy spells, emotional distress and crying for no reason.

Also on Tuesday, HCPD released a composite sketch of the white infant done by sketch artists with SLED. People living in the neighborhood where the baby was found reacted to the latest release.

"Before it was just a bunch of police cars and lights up there, and then everything was gone. Then the memorial showed up, but it was still rather impersonal. A picture brings it home," said Jim LaTour who lives on Meadowbrook Drive.

LaTour and his wife say the case is still on the minds of many and said everyday people stop by the memorial in the woods where the infant was discovered.

"When we came home (earlier), there was a couple getting out of the car, to put a Christmas decoration there."

They say the case has brought plenty of attention from police, the public, and from news reporters, but they don't mind.

"It may help the police and investigators get to the bottom of this, and it needs to be gotten to the bottom."

A funeral is expected for the newborn sometime this week.

If you have any information on the case, police urge you to call the tip line at 843-915-TIPS (8477). You can remain anonymous.

He has been named "Baby Boy Horry" there will be a funeral for him on 12/18/2008 at Hillcrest Cemetary across from Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC. at 4pm.

Baby Boy Horry to be laid to rest Thursday
Posted: Dec 15, 2008 02:02 PM EST
Updated: Dec 16, 2008 06:26 PM EST

CONWAY, SC (WMBF) - In a press conference Tuesday, the baby boy found in a ditch in Conway has been named and will be buried on Thursday.

Horry County Coroner Robert Edge said at the press conference the boy has been named Baby Boy Horry. The funeral will be at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Hillcrest Cemetery in Conway, and is open to the public.

Donations can be made at the Horry County Treasurer's Office, the Horry County Coroner's Office, or the following Horry County State Bank locations:

1627-A Church Street, Conway
1300 Second Avenue, Conway
3187 Highway 9 East, Little River
3210 Highway 701 North Bypass, Loris
273 Carolina Forest Boulevard, Carolina Forest
1705 North Oak Street, Myrtle Beach
596 Highway 17 North, North Myrtle Beach
3201 Highway 701 North, Conway
5264 Highway 9, Green Sea
5009 Broad Street, Loris
4011 Meeting Street, Loris
4600 Highway 17 Bypass South, Myrtle Beach
4400 HIghway 17 South, North Myrtle Beach
Watch the press conference in its entirety

Police released a composite sketch of Baby Boy Horry on Monday in hopes that someone would recognize some of the baby's features and might be able to point to his birth parents.

Baby Boy Horry was found by utility workers around 4:15 p.m. Dec. 4 off of Highway 544 on Meadowbrook Drive. The baby's body was found near a street and wooded area by a subcontractor working for Horry County Electric.

Last Friday, authorities released new clues into the case. According to Horry County Police Sgt. Robert Kegler, investigators received information on the bag in which the baby boy's body was wrapped. Kegler describes the bag as a white canvas bag with a baby blue bottom and straps.

The bag, he says, is from Bath & Body Works and is "significant" because it is a limited edition bag sold only in the month of August 2008.

Police are continuing to investigate the discovery and say they have no suspects at the moment.

On Wednesday, the Horry County Police announced a reward was being offered for any leads to the person who is connected to the case.

Officials with the Horry County Police Department say they are actively seeking public assistance for leads in this case. They have not released how much will be rewarded for naming a suspect in the case, but say the amount is "substantial."

Based on autopsy results, investigators say the time ranges from hours to several days between the time of birth and delivery of the baby and when it was placed at the site where it was found by utility workers on Thursday.

"There was no physical trauma to the baby, no outward signs or no physical abuse," Horry County Deputy Coroner Chris Burroughs explained, eliminating one possible cause of death. However, further narrowing down of the cause of death has not been easy.

"It's hard to tell if the child died of hypothermia or if the child was deceased when it was placed there," he said.

Investigators have been in close touch with medical personnel, and have released these post-pregnancy signs that residents should look out for:

Anyone with any information that may lead to the child's birth parents are urged to call the Horry County Police Department at (843) 915-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous.

baby bag tag

Crime Scene

Baby's memorial

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?p...&GRid=31969663&

http://www.carolinalive.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=237433

Baby Boy Horry laid to rest
Evidence in case of newborn found dead

The public and Horry County staff attend a funeral service for Baby Boy Horry, Thursday.
Images By Mola Lenghi
Thursday, December 18, 2008 at 6:15 p.m.

The newborn baby boy found abandoned and dead in a wooded area near Highway 544 two weeks ago, was laid to rest late Thursday afternoon.

While the baby's life ended far too soon, the police investigation goes on.

About 100 people attended Thursday's public service - given by Horry County for the newborn who has come to be known as "Baby Boy Horry."

Horry County Coroner Robert Edge phrased it this way during the service, "Baby Boy Horry is now the son of Horry County."

It was an emotional afternoon, with very few dry eyes. While the people who attended didn't know him, the child touched everyone.

"The citizens in the community really surprised me, really pulled together. This touched home. It touched everybody's lives. It's a baby, and everybody loves kids," said Kayla Johnson of Conway, who attended the service.

Horry County is accepting donations to cover the costs of the funeral service. You can donate at all Horry County State Banks, the coroners office, and at the Horry County Government and Justice Center in Conway.

As far as the Horry County police investigation goes, Sergeant Robert Kegler with the Horry County Police Department said they are still following any and every lead.

Also, he stressed that he doesn't want the public to put "Baby Boy Horry" out of mind, now that the funeral is over.

Police still need the public's help with any information anyone might have.

The sketch of the baby, and a picture of the bag the baby was found in, are attached to this story.

The baby was found dead near Meadowbrook Drive in Conway on December 4th.

He was in a Bath and Body Works canvas tote bag.

Police are hoping someone will call their tip line at (843) 915 - TIPS.

You can remain anonymous. Police said a substantial reward is being offered.

This was a beautiful service. Started with prayer and ended with songs as well as prayer.

I guess this is his marker in the event that after about a month he is not identified.

photo

http://www.thesunnews.com/2010/12/03/18474...-in-memory.html

Friday, Dec. 03, 2010
Abandoned Horry County baby held in memory
Ceremony reminds of case, safe haven
By Janelle Frost

CONWAY -- Local authorities and community leaders say if the person who left the body of an infant in a ditch two years ago this week had known of or followed Daniel's Law, the baby could have survived.

"I see it being a good option for people who don't want a child or for whatever reason can't keep a child," said Horry County Coroner Robert Edge, who helped organize a remembrance Thursday for the child known as Baby Boy Horry. "If this baby was left under Daniel's Law, he would have been enjoying Christmas this year."

The state law, also known as the Safe Haven for Abandoned Infants Act, allows parents to leave unharmed newborns at approved "safe havens" without legal repercussions.

In South Carolina, three Daniel's Law babies were given up in 2009, up from two in 2008 and down from four in 2007, according to state Department of Social Services officials. None of those babies was in Horry or Georgetown counties.

The infant was found dead in a Bath and Body Works bag in a ditch on Meadowbrook Drive off of S.C. 544 on Dec. 4, 2008.

Edge has said the infant "was a very viable child, which means if it had the proper care, it would have lived."

Several people from area communities gathered Thursday for the memorial service at Hillcrest Cemetery in Conway. They joined the Rev. Wayne Brown, who officiated the service, in prayers and songs, including "Silent Night," "Jesus Loves Me" and "Away in a Manger."

Brown talked about why the boy's mother would do that when there are places like a rescue squad or hospital where an infant can be safely left.

"Maybe she was fearful ... a student who was afraid," Brown said. "I don't know what could have been going through her mind, except maybe she didn't know about the law or wasn't educated about agencies and churches here to help. It is our privilege as well as our responsibility to help people when we can. We should be able to lean on each other so that other incidents like this don't happen because there are people that will take a child into a loving home.

"Our prayer is that anyone that knows of this tragedy will come forth."

The publicity this week about Baby Boy Horry has prompted a tip that authorities are following up, said Horry County police Lt. Jamie DeBari, who attended Thursday's memorial service.

"It's important to continue a memorial so we don't forget and to bring closure to the case and for the child," said DeBari, who would not disclose Thursday any details about the tip. "You've always got to have hope you're going to close the case, especially these kind of cases."

Authorities hope the service will spur someone who knows what happened to come forward, while pointing out that such laws as Daniel's Law would help prevent this kind of case.

If Daniel's Law had been followed, said Horry County police Sgt. Robert Kegler, "we wouldn't be having a memorial service. ... It absolutely would have helped."

Adam Pertman, executive director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, said Wednesday that research has shown that women who abandon their children in unsafe places are not in a state of mind to comprehend that there are other options, such as those provided by safe haven laws.

A report by the adoption institute, headquartered in New York, questions the effectiveness and consequences of safe haven laws.

The report shows "safe haven laws not only do not solve the problem of unsafe infant abandonment, but actually may encourage women to conceal pregnancies and then abandon infants who otherwise would have been placed for adoption through established legal procedures or been raised by relatives," according to a 2003 news release.

"There are still women so distraught that they put their kids in unsafe places," Pertman said. "They need to be educated about conception, medical care and open adoptions."

That's why Myrtle Beach resident Pam Carr keeps the line of communication open with her 15-year-old daughter Abbie Carr.

The two attended Thursday's memorial service.

"That baby could have been a wonderful gift to someone," said Pam Carr, who started a memorial on Meadowbrook Drive where Baby Boy Horry was found. "Someone wanted to forget that baby. We're not going to forget that baby for that reason. I'm not going to let that happen. It's the community's baby."

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