Wisconsin authorities claim they have solved a case of 13-year old cold involving the death a newborn girl.
The DNA from the baby and advancements in forensic science allowed authorities to find the mother of the child and charge her with concealing death. This was stated by Dale J. Schmidt, Dodge County Sheriff.
According to the sheriff’s Office, Karin Luttinen (45), of Milwaukee is accused of leaving her baby’s body in a trash bag along a road near Theresa on April 29, 2009.
Two days later, a county medical examiner did an autopsy and found that the baby had died either before or during childbirth.
Investigators were trying to identify anyone connected to the baby at the time and named her “Baby Theresa” in honor of the closest community where she was found.
She was laid to rest May 11, 2009, after authorities failed to locate any relatives to “Baby Theresa”. Schmidt stated in a statement that although her family was not present for her burial, members of the community showed up at Lowell Cemetery in southwest Dodge County in order to pay their respects.
Authorities filed a 2014 charge against the unidentified mother’s DNA profile in an attempt to stop a six year statute of limitations from running out. This allowed them to prosecute Luttinen immediately.
Authorities were able to identify Luttinen and her partner as the parents of the baby last year.
Luttinen was interviewed by investigators on March 2021. They claimed that she was denial about giving birth at home. She then put the body of the baby in a bag and drove “aimlessly,” according to the criminal complaint.
According to the criminal complaint, Luttinen left the bag and the baby’s corpse in a wooded area.
“As the District attorney explained, this case involves death of a stillborn baby, which is always a tragedy to the parents involved,” Aneq Ahmad, Luttinen’s attorney, said Saturday to NBC News. “As the legal process progresses, more facts will be revealed about this case.”
Luttinen appeared in court Friday. He posted a $2,500 cash bond.
Ahmad stated, “Due to ethical rules that govern attorney’s statements while an active case remains pending,” Ahmad said. “Everyone is presumed innocent by the law. I ask that the community respect Ms. Luttinen’s privacy while she is still in court.”
