In a stunning breakthrough that has sent ripples through the cold case community, Iowa authorities have finally secured a murder charge in a case that has remained unsolved for over four decades. Lori Anne Naylor, 61, of Davenport, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of her newborn son, a tragedy dating back to 1983.
The case, long grown cold, was resurrected through a combination of relentless investigative work and cutting-edge forensic technology. The infant's remains were first discovered by a farmer in a field near the Mississippi River in the rural area of Buffalo, Scott County, on a December day in 1983. For 41 years, the identity of the child and the circumstances of his death were a heartbreaking mystery.
The Genetic Key to a 41-Year Mystery
The turning point came from the innovative field of investigative genetic genealogy. Detectives from the Scott County Sheriff's Office, refusing to let the case fade into history, exhumed the baby's remains in 2018. Advanced DNA testing was conducted, providing a genetic profile that became the key to unlocking the past.
This genetic information was uploaded to a public genealogy database, a technique that has famously solved numerous cold cases across the United States. Investigators were able to identify potential relatives of the child, meticulously building a family tree that eventually led them to Lori Anne Naylor.
From Anonymous Remains to a Named Child
For years, the baby was known only as "Baby Boy Doe." The criminal complaint, however, now refers to him by a name: Sterling Naylor. The complaint presents a harrowing account, alleging that Naylor gave birth to the child alone in her home before placing him in a bag and abandoning him in the field where he was later found.
An autopsy conducted at the time concluded the baby was born alive and his death was deemed a homicide. The recent affidavit supporting the murder charge states the child's cause of death was hypothermia, with the added contributing factor of being placed in a plastic bag, which prevented him from breathing.
A Community Seeks Closure
The arrest marks the culmination of a long and painstaking investigation that has haunted the small community of Buffalo, Iowa. Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane emphasised the gravity of the charge, stating, "A child's life, no matter how short, is precious... We hope that this charge brings a sense of justice for Baby Boy Sterling."
Naylor was arrested and is currently being held in the Scott County Jail on a $10,000 bond. This case stands as a powerful testament to the perseverance of law enforcement and the evolving power of forensic science to deliver answers and accountability, even after the passage of more than 40 years.
