A 55-year-old woman from New York has been arrested and charged with murder in the death of her newborn daughter, found in a trash bag more than 30 years ago. Denise Reischman Merker confessed to the crime during police questioning. The case was solved using genetic genealogy techniques.
In September 1993, maintenance workers discovered a newborn baby girl dead inside a garbage bag on the side of an intersection in Calverton, New York, located in eastern Long Island. The infant, initially known as Baby Jane Doe, remained unidentified for decades until advances in DNA analysis provided a breakthrough.
On February 2, 2026, authorities arrested Denise Reischman Merker, then 55 years old, and charged her with one count of murder. At the time of the incident, Merker was 22. Police identified her as the suspect through genetic genealogy, which they described as a significant factor. The baby was among nine unidentified infants whose DNA profiles were added to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons Systems database in 2025.
During an interview following her identification, Merker confessed, stating, "I did it. I did everything." She further explained, "I put the paper towel in the baby's mouth because she was crying." Additional details about the exact cause of the baby's death have not been made public.
Merker pleaded not guilty at her arraignment and was remanded without bail to the Suffolk County Jail in Riverhead, New York. Her next court appearance is scheduled for March 2, 2026.