'Baby Theresa' Cold Case Cracked After 13 Years With Mother Named as Suspect in Newborn's Death

Baby Theresa Baby Theresa Cold Case Karin Luttinen

By Joel Brussels , Parent Herald Mar 21, 08:28 am

Photo: (Photo : Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

Wisconsin authorities made a stunning announcement on Friday, saying that they have finally cracked the 13-year-old "Baby Theresa" cold case, which involved the death of a newborn girl. Dodge County Sheriff Dale J. Schmidt revealed during the press conference that DNA samples from the baby girl and advances in forensic science helped authorities locate the newborn's mother and charge her with concealing the death of a child.

As per the New York Daily News, the suspect in question was 45-year-old Karin Luttinen. According to the sheriff's office, the Milwaukee native is accused of abandoning her young child's body inside a trash bag on the side of a road on April 29, 2009, near the town of Theresa in Wisconsin.

An autopsy was performed by a county medical examiner on the baby's body two days later, with the findings revealing that the young girl may have passed away before or during birth. Investigators, who were working on identifying anyone related to the child, named her "Baby Theresa" at the time after the community closest to where she was discovered.

Luttinen identified as mother of "Baby Theresa" last year

The girl's body was laid to rest on May 11, 2009, after authorities could not find anyone related to "Baby Theresa." According to Schmidt, community members made sure "Baby Theresa" had a proper burial, as they paid their final respects at the Lowell Cemetery in southwest Dodge County.

Authorities filed a charge against the then-unknown mother's DNA profile in 2014 to prevent a six-year statute of limitations for the charges from running out. This move was vital as it allowed authorities to prosecute the suspect, Luttinen, now.

According to local website WBAY.com, authorities managed to successfully identify Luttinen, and her partner, as the parents of "Baby Theresa" last year. Investigators who talked to Luttinen on March 2021 said she was in denial when she gave birth at home to the baby.

The criminal complaint stated that Luttinen then put the baby's body in a garbage bag and drove "aimlessly" on what was then U.S. Highway 41. She then left the bag containing the baby's body in a wooded location she had found.

Ahmad issues statement on the "Baby Theresa" cold case

Aneeq Ahmad, Luttinen's attorney, issued a statement, saying, "As the District Attorney explained, this case involves the death of a stillborn child, which is always a tragedy for the parents involved." Ahmad added that further facts about the case would come to light over the course of the legal process.

The suspect made an initial court appearance on Friday, with Luttinen posting a $2,500 cash bond. Ahmad also told NBC News that due to the ethical rules that govern attorneys' statements while an active case is pending, he is limited in what he can say on behalf of Ms. Luttinen. Ahmad asked the community to respect Ms. Luttinen's privacy in the meantime as every person is presumed innocent under the law.