A Manchester woman has been charged with reckless second-degree murder nearly a year after a newborn girl was found floating in Pine Island Pond, authorities said, ending a long search for the baby’s identity that drew hundreds of mourners to a public funeral.
The New Hampshire attorney general’s office and Manchester police announced the arrest of Hepay Juma, 26, saying investigators now believe she caused the death of Baby Jane “Grace” Doe, the name officers used when they could not identify the child. Officials have not released the baby’s real name or a cause of death, and they have provided few details about how they tied the case to Juma as the investigation remains active.
The case began in late March 2025, when a report came in of something floating in Pine Island Pond at Pine Island Park, a public area with trails and a playground near the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. Officers responded and found a newborn girl in the water, police said. Investigators quickly treated the death as suspicious and asked the public for help as they tried to narrow down when the baby was placed in the pond. Early on, detectives reviewed a wider window of time, then said tips helped them focus on a shorter period between March 25 and March 27, 2025. Police also said they used specialized resources, including help from state police, as they searched the park area and followed leads. An autopsy was conducted soon after the discovery, and officials said additional testing was still underway at the time. For months, detectives said they received calls, messages and reports from people who recognized details of the case or who thought they had seen something unusual at the park.
On Feb. 26, authorities said that work led to Juma’s arrest. Prosecutors described the charge as reckless second-degree murder, a felony that alleges a person caused a death under circumstances showing extreme indifference to human life. Senior Assistant Attorney General Nicholas Chong Yen said investigators believed they had enough evidence to move forward and said the case was being treated as a homicide. Manchester police have not described what evidence was used to identify Juma as the baby’s mother, and authorities have not said whether the child was born alive, how long she lived or how she ended up in the pond. In court the next day, Juma waived arraignment and remained in jail, according to local reporting, with a probable cause hearing expected next week. Officials also said the baby’s father has been identified, but they have not released his name or described his role in the case.
The investigation drew wide attention in Manchester because the baby had no confirmed identity for weeks and because the death raised questions about whether someone in need of help had been afraid to come forward. In April 2025, police said they had received roughly 50 tips and asked residents to share any photos or videos taken around Pine Island Park during the key dates. Investigators also said tips helped them track conditions at the pond, including when ice was no longer present, as they tried to build a clearer timeline. The department later announced a $5,000 reward tied to information leading to an arrest. Officials have not said whether any reward money has been awarded now that charges have been filed. The slow pace of the case frustrated some residents, but police leaders said complex investigations often take time, especially when key witnesses are unknown or when the most important answers rest in forensic work that cannot be rushed.
The case also brought renewed attention to New Hampshire’s safe haven law, which allows a parent to surrender a newborn anonymously at certain locations within a set time after birth. City leaders and police mentioned the law in public updates last year as they tried to explain the options that exist for a parent in crisis. Investigators have not said whether that law was discussed with Juma during the case, or whether she sought medical care at any point. Officials have also not said whether the baby was born in a hospital, at home or elsewhere, and they have not said whether any other person is suspected of helping to conceal the birth or dispose of evidence. Those unanswered questions, along with the lack of a public explanation of the child’s injuries, have left many details uncertain even as prosecutors moved the case into court.
In May 2025, with no identification for the baby and no arrest, the community gathered at the Connor-Healy Funeral Home for a public service. Police and volunteers referred to the child as “Baby Grace” and arranged a burial, giving the baby a name and a farewell in a case that had become deeply personal for many residents. Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais attended the service and spoke about the shock of the case, and mourners brought flowers, cards and small keepsakes. Manchester Police Chief Peter Marr said at the time that the way the baby had been left was heartbreaking and that the city wanted to honor her brief life. Another group of residents described the funeral as a way to show that the child would not be forgotten. Marr also cautioned that answers would not come quickly, saying investigations are not like television and can take months to develop the facts needed for an arrest.
Prosecutors have said the investigation remains open, and officials have not ruled out additional charges or further court filings. A probable cause hearing is expected in the coming days, and the case could later move to Superior Court if it is bound over for further proceedings. Authorities have not said whether any sworn statements, search warrants or other records will be unsealed, and they have not released a timeline of Juma’s movements in the days before the baby was found. For now, officials have emphasized the narrow point they say they can prove at this stage: that the baby known publicly as “Grace” was killed and that investigators believe her mother caused her death.
As of Saturday, officials had not released the child’s real name or the medical findings behind the homicide determination, and police declined to explain how the mother was identified. The next major milestone is the probable cause hearing expected next week, when prosecutors may outline more of their evidence in court.
Author note: Last updated February 28, 2026.