BRIGHTON, Colo. (KDVR) — A newborn baby boy was found dead outside a Brighton auto shop in 2002, and now investigators hope DNA testing will identify the infant or one of his living relatives.
The Weld County Sheriff’s Office said it’s partnering with a Texas-based company, Othram Inc., in an attempt to break the case. The company will use a special type of DNA extraction and analysis to build a comprehensive genealogical profile for the baby.
The Sheriff’s Office said it has contributed some money toward the $5,000 it will cost to create the DNA profile but hopes the public will step in to help fund the rest.
A crowdfunding account has been created at DNASolves.com to help raise the remaining costs for the casework. The site is run by the company creating the DNA profile.
What happened to Baby John Doe?
Employees arriving for work at L&M Auto Repair in Brighton discovered “Baby John Doe” abandoned under a bush one morning in September 2002, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The baby was wrapped in a blue blanket with the words “Skate Bear” and a corresponding graphic, but they found no other clues at the scene.
Investigators found the baby was born healthy between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. the night before he was found, coming in at about 7 pounds and 21 inches. He had dark hair and may have been white, Latino and/or Italian.
A definitive cause of death was not determined at the time, leads were extinguished and the case eventually went cold.
Do you have information in this case?
Anyone with information about Baby John Doe is encouraged to contact Det. Byron Kastilahn at 970-356-4015. Reference case number WC02-4535. The case also is logged in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (or NamUs) as UP10386.
Anyone with information regarding this or any other crime is asked to call the Weld County Sheriff’s Office at 970-356-4015 or Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Tips can also be submitted through the Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers website at NoCoCrimeStoppers.com. Tips that lead to the arrest and filing of charges may be eligible for a cash reward.