By Caden Pearson
Massachusetts State Police say the body of a newborn infant was found on Thursday at a Rochester recycling center.
The incident, marking the second time a newborn infant’s body was discovered at the same facility in Plymouth County this year, has prompted an immediate investigation by local and state law enforcement agencies.
Rochester Police were alerted to the disturbing incident when they received a 911 call at approximately 10:40 a.m. on Thursday from the Zero Waste Solutions recycling facility.
“The caller reported that infant remains were found within a trash collection that was trucked to the facility for disposal,” Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz said in a statement.
All processing at the recycling center was halted, and an investigation was swiftly launched by the Rochester Police and Massachusetts State Police.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has taken jurisdiction over the case, and officials will work to determine the cause of death of the newborn infant.
“The investigation is ongoing. Anyone who has any information is urged to contact Trooper David Wohler of the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit for Plymouth County at 508-894-2648.”
This marks the second time this year that the Rochester recycling facility has become the site of such a grim discovery. In April, investigators found the remains of a newborn baby girl at the same recycling facility.
During that previous incident, authorities suggested that the baby’s mother may have ties to or connections with Martha’s Vineyard. The infant was found in trash that appeared to originate from the island before reaching Zero Waste Solutions.
Officials established that the child had been deceased for a minimum of seven days.
Massachusetts has had a baby safe haven law since 2004, allowing parents to surrender newborn infants seven days old or younger at designated locations, such as hospitals, police stations, or staffed fire stations, without facing criminal prosecution.
