JOHNSON COUNTY, Texas — Johnson County officials haven't given up on solving a 20-year-old cold case.
Detectives are still searching for the mother of Angel Baby Doe, who was found dead on the side of the road in 2001, and still hope to get justice for the newborn.
Detective Steve Shaw of the Johnson County Sheriff's Department can't forget this case.
“What looked like a red blanket. I couldn’t tell what was under it, until i looked under, there was a baby,” said Shaw.
On Nov. 18, 2001, the baby's body was found in the middle of pasture, on Briar Oaks Road in Johnson County.
A man named “Johnny Riddle” who lived down the road called police.
“He was on his way to Walmart and looking for cans too, and just saw that blanket,” said Shaw.
All these years later, detectives took us to where the baby was found.
“You don’t expect to find a new born baby just dumped on the side of the road.
The road has since shut down, because there was so much illegal dumping going on. Back then, detectives gathered a smashed key fob, a spit cup, and a coke bottle, hoping for any DNA.
“We have a hit on who the mother is and the mother’s DNA,” said Shaw.
But detectives can’t solve the case beyond that.
“We’ve interviewed a lot of people. We’ve got DNA and swabs off of numerous people,” said Shaw.
Angel Baby Doe would be 20 years old now. She’s buried at the Rose Hill Cemetery.
“That baby deserves a name on her memorial. Not Angel Baby Doe,” said Shaw.
Authorities are now asking the public for help to bring justice for Baby Doe.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office at 817-556-6058, or coldcase@johnsoncountytx.org.
Texas' Safe Haven Law, which was enacted in 1999, allows parents to drop off an infant 60 days old or younger at a safe place -- a hospital, fire station, EMS station, or freestanding ER -- if they feel they cannot take care of their child.
Go here for more information about Texas' Safe Haven Law.