Baby Doe, whose body was found in a blood-covered plastic bag March 6 in a wooded area near Fort Street and St. Johns Boulevard in Lincoln Park, is remembered March 10 with a candlelight vigil.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
LINCOLN PARK – A candlelight vigil was held March 10 for Baby Doe, a newborn whose body was found in a blood-covered plastic bag March 6 in a wooded area near Fort Street and St. Johns Boulevard.
Body of baby found in trash bin behind Wright & Filippis
A small but somber group held candles, read prayers and poems and shared the sadness of the loss of a young life.
The Wayne County Medical Examiner has not yet indicated whether the infant was stillborn or a live birth.
Deborah Bloomfield of Wyandotte, the vice president of Upper Downriver Right to Life, who led the prayers, said her organization wants to help mothers in crisis and need, and can be reached at 800-57-WOMAN.
Rachel Diehle, who lives in the neighborhood and initiated the vigil, attended with her young son.
She said she wanted to do something to let the community show that they cared about the newborn, whose body was abandoned.
“The value of a human life, no matter how big or small, whether it was dead or alive, someone should have done right by the baby,” she said. “There are so many options out there.”
Diehle said she hopes someone who knows something will speak up.
Mary Miller, who lives in the neighborhood, said the circumstances were heartbreaking.
“I am pretty sure they just didn’t know what to do,” she said. “There are others that could have helped her. It’s just a sad case.”
Scott Rolston of Wyandotte said the circumstances in which the infant’s body was found indicate that something was unsettling.
“It’s just not normal for a mother to abandon their child,” he said. “So, something was wrong.”
Rolston said there are places where a newborn may be surrendered.
“The police department, the fire department, the hospital,” he said. “There are other options.”
Rolston said he hopes the mother is able to get the help she needs.
“Unfortunately, this is where this ended up, and now they have a case where they have to figure out what the cause of all this was, and hopefully, they will find some answers, and avoid this tragedy again.”