Infant’s remains found buried in beer box in Chicago suburb; 2 in custody, sheriff says
Infant’s remains found buried in beer box in Chicago suburb; 2 in custody, sheriff says
The remains of an infant were found buried Friday morning in southwest suburban Will County, leading authorities to take two people into custody, officials said.
Editor’s note: Some details in this story may be disturbing. Reader discretion is advised.
WILL COUNTY, Ill. - The remains of an infant were found buried Friday morning in southwest suburban Will County, leading authorities to take two people into custody, officials said.
What we know:
Police learned Thursday that an infant may have been buried on property in the 1900 block of Roberts Road near Wilmington, according to the Will County Sheriff’s Office.
Detectives determined that a 36-year-old woman had given birth and that the infant’s remains were buried on the Roberts Road property, marked by a makeshift headstone. Sheriff’s police obtained a search warrant for the site.
At 9:15 a.m. Friday, deputies detained several suspects. Crime Scene Investigators were called in and, working with detectives, located the remains. Police said the body was found about 3 feet underground in what appeared to be an Old Style beer box, wrapped in a plastic bag and cloth.
The Will County Coroner’s Office took possession of the remains. An autopsy was scheduled for Saturday.
The woman, identified as Nicole Pokrzywa, 36, of Wilmington, and William Cosmen, 38, of Manhattan, were interviewed by detectives and allegedly made incriminating statements about concealing the child’s death.
(From left): Nicole Pokrzywa, 36, of Wilmington, and William Cosmen, 38, of Manhattan. (Will County Sheriff )
According to police, Pokrzywa and Cosmen said the baby was born in a toilet at a home in the 400 block of North Street in Manhattan.
Cosmen allegedly attempted to dispose of the body by forcing it down the toilet drain with a plunger. When they realized the infant’s body—estimated at 5 to 7 pounds—could not fit down the drain, they left the remains in the toilet overnight, police said.
The pair told investigators they later removed the infant from the toilet, wrapped the remains in a plastic bag and green shirt, and took the body to the Roberts Road residence.
They said a hole roughly 3 feet wide and 4 feet deep was dug for the burial.
What's next:
An autopsy was conducted Saturday at the Will County Coroner’s Office. The pathologist determined the female infant was between 22 and 27 weeks gestational age, according to police. Additional testing will be required because of the level of decomposition.
Both Pokrzywa and Cosmen face one count of desecration of a corpse. Police said additional charges are possible once further testing is completed.
They were taken to the Will County Jail and will receive notice to appear in court.