The New York Police Department has identified "Baby Hope" 22 years after she was found in a cooler near the Henry Hudson Parkway.
Authorities exhumed the body of the little girl after a tip was received reportedly from the child's aunt, according to NY1. Police used DNA to positively identify a woman as "Baby Hope's" mother. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly revealed details about the case to NY1.
"We have been able to identity the mother of Baby Hope as a a result of in my judgement, outstanding detective work. A DNA match was made with the mother and the mother has been cooperating. Now I just don't want to go to much further because this is an ongoing investigation. Obviously homicide is a distinct possibility here. It's going to go forward in that direction," Kelly said.
The mother has reportedly been cooperating with authorities, and is not considered a suspect in the case. NYPD have identified the baby's father as a person of interest, according to the Associated Press.
"The case dates to July 23, 1991, when a road worker smelled something rotting and discovered the girl's remains inside a picnic cooler along the Henry Hudson Parkway. Her body was unclothed and malnourished and showed signs of possible sex abuse," AP reports.
Police theorized "Baby Hope" was suffocated and was dead about six to eight days her body was found. According to ABC news, the mother claims the girl's father had taken their two daughters, one returned but the other did not.
"She was estimated to be between 3 and 5 years old when she died, and weighed just 25 pounds," NY1 reports. "Her arms were tied and she appeared to have been starved, beaten and sexually abused."
Authorities paid for "Baby Hope's" funeral in a Bronx cemetery, clothing her in a white dress and placing her to rest in a white coffin.
