They 'Never Forgot Baby Mary': Morris County Cold Case Investigators Honored

MENDHAM TOWNSHIP, NJ — Last year, after four decades of persistent investigation, officials were able to identify the mother of "Baby Mary," a lifeless newborn who was found abandoned in 1984 in Mendham Township.

And earlier this year, authorities identified the child's parents, as they announced Baby Mary's mother would be sentenced to 364 days in the county correctional facility, then subject to probation.

The detectives, investigative support members, and members of the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit were recently recognized by the New Jersey Homicide Investigators Association (NJHIA) for their work bringing a conclusion to the case.

The NJHIA, a group that provides advanced training and other resources for homicide detectives and other law enforcement officers, presented an award to these men and women on June 13.

Members of the MCPO Major Crimes Unit who were recognized include Lt. Michael Gomez, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Schellhorn, Sgt. Sasha Gould, Sgt. Matt Magnone, Det. Melissa Atoche, Det. Matthew Belcastro, Det. Greg Federici, Det. Dakota Keyworth, and Det. Muhammad Thomas, said officials.

And, the following investigative support members were also recognized: Mendham Township Police Chief Ross Johnson, FS3 Christine Schlenker of the NJSP Office of Forensic Sciences, Morris County Sheriff’s Office Det. Rosie Brown, and Mendham Township Police Lt. Steve Bittman, Sgt. Matthew Ambrosi, and Det. Jim Arnesen.

Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll congratulated the investigative team, and said they "brought closure to a heartbroken community and justice for a little girl abandoned four decades ago."

He also emphasized how much effort went into the case, and how the probe into Mary's death crossed state borders as officials sought to identify her and learn the circumstances leading up to her discovery.

"The new forensic DNA technology was just one step in the complex and exhaustive investigation, across multiple states, which the members of the MCU team utilized to bring this case to fruition," Carroll said.

"Mendham Township PD, and the hard-working investigators of the MCU, never forgot Baby Mary.”

Other recent coverage of the case:

• Mendham 'Baby Mary' Case Closed As Mother Ruled Responsible: Officials (Apr. 2024)
• Remembering 'Baby Mary' This Christmas Eve In Mendham (Dec. 2023)
• NJ's Abandoned 'Baby Mary's' Parents Identified After 39 Years (Sept. 2023)