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POLK COUNTY INFANT DOE (1953): UM, Infant, found in Des Moines River - 12 November 1953
Akoya:
Infant's skull was struck and then thrown into Des Moines River. Body was cremated.
Akoya:
https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/10855?nav
Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP10855Male, Uncertain
Date Body Found
November 12, 1953
Location Found
Des Moines, Iowa
Case Information
Case Numbers
NCMEC Number
--
ME/C Case Number
10-1397
Demographics
Sex
Male
Race / Ethnicity
Uncertain
Estimated Age Group
Infant
Estimated Age Range (Years)
--
Estimated Year of Death
1953
Estimated PMI
--
Height
Cannot Estimate
Weight
Cannot Estimate
Circumstances
Type
Unidentified Deceased
Date Body Found
November 12, 1953
NamUs Case Created
December 14, 2012
ME/C QA Reviewed
--
Location Found Map
Location
Des Moines, Iowa
County
Polk County
GPS Coordinates (Not Mapped)
--
Circumstances of Recovery
Infant's skull was struck and then thrown into Des Moines River. Body was cremated.
Details of Recovery
Inventory of Remains
All parts recovered
Condition of Remains
Not recognizable - Charred/burned
Case Contributors
Megan Rausch, Medicolegal Death Investigator
Polk County Medical Examiner's Office
(515) 286-2102
Akoya:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2458umia.html
2458UMIA - Unidentified Male
Date of Discovery: December 12, 1953
Location of Discovery: Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa
Estimated Date of Death: 1953
State of Remains: Not recognizable - Charred/burned
Cause of Death: Unknown
Physical Description
Estimated Age: Infant
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: Unknown
Weight: Unknown
Hair Color: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown
Identifiers
Dentals: Not available.
Fingerprints: Not available.
DNA: Not available.
Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Circumstances of Discovery
An infant's skull was found in the Des Moines River. The case files states that the "child's skull struck and then thrown into Des Moines River."
Investigating Agency(s)
Agency Name: Polk County Medical Examiner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Megan Rausch
Agency Phone Number: 515-286-2102
Agency Case Number: 10-77-1397
NCIC Case Number: N/A
NamUs Case Number: UP #10855
Information Source(s)
NamUs
Admin Notes
Added:1/3/15; Last Updated:7/14/2019
Akoya:
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/Polk_County_John_Doe_(1953)
Polk County John Doe (1953)
Polk County John Doe was a newborn infant whose burned remains were found in the Des Moines River. The baby had been struck in the head, causing a skull fracture.
NamUS lists the date of discovery as November 12, 1953, but other sources, including Iowa law enforcement, state the date was December 12, 1953.
Polk County John Doe (1953)
Sex Male
Race Unknown
Location Des Moines, Iowa
Found December 12, 1953
Unidentified for 66 years
Postmortem interval Hours
Body condition Burned
Age approximation Newborn
Height approximation Unknown
Weight approximation Unknown
Cause of death Beating
Akoya:
https://iowacoldcases.org/case-summaries/1953-unidentified-white-male-infant/
Baby Feet Unidentified White Male Infant
Homicide
Baby John Doe
Unidentified male Infant
ME/C Case Number: 10-1397
NamUs UP # 10855
Found in Des Moines River
Des Moines, Iowa
Polk County
Investigating Agency: Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office
December 12, 1953
Polk County in Iowa
Polk County in Iowa
Des Moines in Polk CountyDes Moines in Polk County
On Saturday, December 12, 1953, officials recovered a white male infant from the Des Moines River in Polk County, Iowa. The newborn had been struck in the skull and burned before being tossed into the river.
The infant’s charred body was burned beyond recognition, and investigators could determine neither the child’s exact weight nor height, but did identify a skull fracture in the baby’s head.
Detectives believe the infant was likely killed sometime on or around Dec. 12, 1953.
The baby wore no clothing, and the Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office took over the case in attempts to identify the newborn’s body.
No DNA or dental charting is available in this case.
Information Needed
If you have any information about this unidentified infant please contact the Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office at (515) 286-2102 or NamUs Regional Administrator Melissa Gregory at (855) 626-7600.
Sources:
Polk County Sheriff’s Office
NamUs Unidentified Person #UP10855
Polk County Medical Examiner’s office
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