Major Crimes Unit receives award for outstanding achievements in murder investigation in Baby Mary case

MORRIS COUNTY – The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit has been recognized by the New Jersey Homicide Investigators Association for the successful investigation and prosecution of the unsolved murder case of Baby Mary. The award was presented Thursday, June 13, 2024, at the 29th Annual Advanced Homicide Conference at Princeton University.

The body of an abandoned newborn named “Baby Mary” was discovered by two boys in the woods of Mendham Township on Christmas Eve 1984. When the baby was discovered, the girl’s umbilical cord was still present and the coroner determined that the baby was alive at the time of birth. The death was ruled a homicide.

Over the past four decades, investigators have vigorously pursued every lead to identify Baby Mary and learn more about the circumstances that led to her discovery in the woods. Using new technology, networking of law enforcement agencies in three states, and old-fashioned police work, investigators were able to identify Baby Mary’s biological father and mother in 2023. The biological father died before investigators could identify him. There is no evidence that the biological father knew about the pregnancy or Baby Mary’s birth or death.

As a result of the diligent work of MCPO investigators, on April 24, 2023, a juvenile delinquency charge was filed against baby Mary’s biological mother. Mary Catherine Crumlich was a minor at the time of her birth. On February 28, 2024, Crumlich pleaded guilty to manslaughter, a misdemeanor that would be considered a second-degree felony if committed by an adult. On April 3, 2024, the Honorable Michael P. Wright, JSC, imposed a suspended sentence on the condition of 364 days in the Morris County Correctional Facility.

For more information on the arrest and probation in the Baby Mary case, visit https://ow.ly/VnpC50SiXLZ

MCPO Major Crimes Unit members recognized by the NJHIA include Lt. Michael Gomez, Assistant District Attorney Christopher Schellhorn, Sgt. Sasha Gould, Sgt. Matt Magnone, Det. Melissa Atoche, Det. Matthew Belcastro, Det. Greg Federici, Det. Dakota Keyworth and Det. Muhammad Thomas. Also recognized were investigative support members: Mendham Township Police Chief Ross Johnson, FS3 Christine Schlenker of the NJSP Office of Forensic Sciences, Det. Rosie Brown of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and Mendham Township Police Lt. Steve Bittman, Sgt. Matthew Ambrosi and Det. Jim Arnesen.

Prosecutor Carroll said, “Congratulations to the men and women of the Major Crimes Unit for bringing closure to a heartbroken community and justice to a little girl abandoned four decades ago. The new forensic DNA technology was just one step in the complex and extensive multi-state investigation that the MCU team members utilized to bring this case to fruition. I cannot overstate the effort that went into this case. Mendham Township and the hard-working MCU investigators have never forgotten Baby Mary.”