FORT DODGE – Fort Dodge police are hunting for the body of a newborn baby after receiving a letter indicating birth, death and transport of corpse.
On Tuesday, November 22nd, at approximately 2:48 P.M. the Webster County Telecommunications Center received information indicating that a female had given birth to a child at home, that the newborn was later deceased, and that the body was moved from its birthplace to another location. Law enforcement quickly responded to this information and has been engaged in an investigation since.
All available resources and manpower have been utilized to attempt to locate the newborn’s body and to investigate the circumstances surrounding its birth, death, and the disappearance of its remains. Investigators have followed up with many leads, utilized electronic records, spoken to multiple witnesses, and physically searched numerous locations of interest in an attempt to recover the body. As of Tuesday, the newborn’s body has not been located, though the search continues.
At this time investigators are continuing their investigation into this incident. As with all investigations, video evidence is essential. Anyone who has video surveillance within the area bordered by Central Avenue and E. Kenyon Road and South 7th Street and South 12th Street is asked to contact law enforcement. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Fort Dodge Police. Information may also be submitted anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Additionally, Crime Stoppers has offered up a $1,000.00 reward for information that leads directly to the discovery of the newborn’s body.
The Fort Dodge Police Department has been and continues to be assisted by the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations Major Crimes Unit, the Webster County Attorney’s Office, the Fort Dodge Fire Department, Webster County Conservation, City of Fort Dodge Street Department, Webster County Emergency Management, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations Crime Scene Team and Criminalistics Laboratory, and the Iowa SAR (Search and Rescue) K9 unit.
