ST. IGNACE, Mich. – A court will soon decide if a mother’s statement to law enforcement related to the murder of “Baby Garnet” will be admissible in trial.
On June 26, 1997, a worker discovered a baby girl, known as “Baby Garnet,” in the waste pit of a Garnet Lake campground outhouse while emptying a septic pit at the campground. The baby was estimated to be nearly full-term.
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Nancy Ann Gerwatowski, 60, was charged with open murder, involuntary manslaughter and concealing the death of an individual.
The case came under review in 2017 when investigators turned to forensic genetic genealogy to search for answers. Authorities said additional DNA testing of Gerwatowski in 2022 confirmed her parentage. She was arrested and charged that year.
Investigators said Gerwatowski confirmed to them that she is the child’s mother.
Authorities believe Gerwatowski delivered the newborn alone at her Newberry home, where Baby Garnet died due to asphyxiation, and the death could have been prevented by medical intervention that Gerwatowski did not seek. She then allegedly hid the newborn’s body in an outhouse at the campground in Hudson, more than 20 miles out of town.
In May 2024, a judge ruled Gerwatowski will stand trial on murder charges. If convicted, she faces the possibility of life in prison.
According to court records, a hearing is scheduled to be held on Dec. 12, 2024, to decide if Gerwatowski‘s statement made to law enforcement, her abortion consideration and lack of prenatal healthcare can be used in the trial. The hearing will also decide whether or not to dismiss the concealing a death charge.
