South Orange investigators still seeking to identify dead newborn 37 years later

SOUTH ORANGE, New Jersey (WABC) -- Officials in New Jersey are still trying to identify a dead newborn abandoned in South Orange nearly 37 years ago.

On the morning of Nov. 28, 1986, sanitation workers found the baby in a picnic basket atop a trash can behind an apartment building at 5 Cottage St.

Investigators believe the basket may have been bought from a local store.
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The baby boy was found wrapped in a towel and a yellow table runner inside the wicker basket. The baby weighed five pounds and still had his umbilical cord.

Detectives plan to use DNA evidence and genetic databases to help identify the parents or relatives of the baby, but are asking for the public's help in solving the cold case.
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Anyone with information can contact the Essex County Prosecutor's Office tip line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or email them at HomicideTips@njecpo.org. The information can be kept confidential.

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