Investigation into baby found at recycling center will take time

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Police detectives are working to uncover more information almost a week after a newborn baby was found at a Sioux Falls recycling center. Last Tuesday, an employee at Millennium Recycling called the police and reported finding the body of a baby. Police described the baby as a “full-term infant.”

Monday, his exact age is still unknown. And police still aren’t able to say how long the baby boy’s body had been at the recycling center. KELOLAND News sat down with police Chief Jon Thum and asked if he had any new information to share.

“I think a lot of times cases like this capture the attention of the public, and rightfully so. The reality is cases like these take time to investigate,” he said.

Thum says that for most crimes, police have witnesses who can be interviewed, and evidence is readily available. That’s not the case in this investigation. So, DNA evidence may be the key.

“There is a DNA component of this, too,” said Thum. “And we’ve seen great results in the past with our detectives working cold cases.”

According to Thum, detectives are working hard to solve this case, but he believes the public can also help.

“Somebody knows something; somebody is familiar with something. Almost every single time we have a case that involves a deceased person, what we would say is if you know something, just call Crime Stoppers and let us know; it’s anonymous,” said Thum. “Sometimes, it’s just the tip, the gut feeling, or the tip that comes in through Crime Stoppers, which helps us go a certain direction or confirms something that we were working on, and that could be the one that helps us break the case.”

Here is a link to Crime Stoppers information.

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