An open letter from the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office regarding death investigation of Kearny newborn

HCPO Esther Suarez

The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office has received several inquiries about a pending investigation into the death of a newborn baby boy who was found deceased in Kearny in October of 2020. While the protocol is to never discuss ongoing investigations, we feel it is important to both update the public about the investigation as well as correct any misinformation that is circulating on social media.

We understand the concern of the community in this matter and want to emphasize that while every case we investigate is important, those involving the death of a child carry special significance.

On Oct. 25, 2020, we launched an investigation into the death of a newborn baby boy found in Kearny.  Like all death investigations, the first step is to collect any evidence, conduct interviews and have the Medical Examiner complete a forensic examination and autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.

While it may seem like a long time, this is not an unusual length of time for this type of investigation.

Forensics on newborns and infants are some of the most complex and lengthy. Currently, this matter is with the Regional Medical Examiner, which is an independent office from the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office and operates under the New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services.

While the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office has no ability to control their operations or timeline, our Homicide Unit is in regular contact with the Medical Examiner’s Office requesting updates on their investigation. As of present, we are still awaiting an official cause and manner of death from the Medical Examiner.

The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office is committed to conducting a thorough and complete investigation in this case and every case.

It is worth noting that as much as we want this to move quickly, we only get one chance to do this and we want it to be done correctly.  Some have asked for information from the Medical Examiner, and for more details on their process and procedures we suggest individuals contact the State Department of Health at (800) 367-6543.

We appreciate the community’s concern in this matter and will continue to provide updates as we have them.

Esther Suarez
Hudson County Prosecutor

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Esther Suarez, Hudson County prosecutor