Infant remains found at Bronx water plant remain unidentified; police seek answers

BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) – Years after the remains of an infant were found at a Bronx water plant, questions still remain. The NYPD is asking anyone with information to come forward, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark announced Thursday. 

On Aug. 31, 2022, workers at a Department of Environmental Protection Water Plant located on Ryawa Avenue near the Hunts Pont neighborhood discovered a part of a leg. The following day, workers again found what appeared to be a leg, police said. 

The legs had been severed and are believed to belong to a 38-week-old female, the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner said. 

The medical examiner uploaded DNA obtained from the severed legs into a national database, where it was compared to the missing persons cases. Officials say cross-matching DNA will not help if the infant was not reported missing. Federally funded databases cannot accept the current DNA sampling as her alleged death has not been ruled a homicide, police said. 

The plant where the legs were discovered receives sewage from 10 zip codes. Without the rest of the alleged missing body, the cause of death cannot be determined. The rest of the baby’s body has not yet been found, police said.

Anyone with information about this matter is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 1 800-577-TIPS, the 41st Precinct Detective Squad at (718) 542- 5313, or the Bronx Homicide Squad at (718) 378- 8791.

This story comprises reporting from former PIX11 News reporter Aliza Chasan.