Man, woman arrested in connection with 30-year-old cold case involving infant's death
JEFFERSON PARISH, La. -- A Louisiana man and woman have been arrested and accused of first-degree murder in connection with a 30-year-old cold case involving the death of an infant, WDSU reported.
Inga Carriere, of Jefferson Parish, was arrested in Jefferson Parish on February 28. She was booked as a fugitive out of Picayune, Mississippi.
Andrew Carriere, of River Ridge, was arrested on March 9 in Galliano.
Both were booked into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center.
The Louisiana State Police are working with detectives in Mississippi on the investigation.
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According to Picayune police, at the time of the crime, the baby was found behind Mr. Gatti's Pizza at 704 Memorial Boulevard.
A farmer removed trash bags to feed his animals from the dumpster when he found the baby in one of the trash bags.
The baby was wrapped in a towel with other trash items, according to police.
When an autopsy was done on the baby, police say it was determined that that she died three weeks premature and lived a few minutes before being smothered.
According to Picayune police, the baby's date of birth was likely April 15, 1992. The baby was buried at Lee's Chapel Baptist Church in Picayune.
Picayune police reopened the case in 2021. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigations offered to assist in the case by using a grant that covered forensic genetic genealogy testing from the evidence that was collected 30 years ago.
Police say the parents were identified as suspects through advanced DNA testing.
Picayune police believe the crime was committed in Louisiana.
Police signed affidavits on both Inga and Andrew Carriere on suspicion of desecration of a human being and warrants were signed by the judge.
Both will be extradited to Mississippi.
"It's quite unusual," said Paul Fleming, a longtime Jefferson Parish public defender. "This is only the second or third case I have had in my 30-year career where someone has been arrested for a case that happened 30 years ago."
Fleming is representing Inga Carriere in the case.
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"There is evidence to show that my client believed the child was stillborn, which would not be newborn or baby or infant, and would not be a crime either," said Fleming.
Fleming told WDSU Investigates that his office is in the initial stage of its own investigation, but he does not believe his client committed a crime.
"What we have determined so far would tend to exonerate our client," said Fleming. " We don't think she had any guilty knowledge of this incident that happened more than 30 years ago."
Bail was not set for Inga Carriere for her first-degree murder charge.
"This is difficult for everybody, for both sides to handle because the evidence is old, witnesses are gone," said Fleming. "In this case, some witnesses have died, and it's going to make it difficult to prosecute and difficult to defend."
State Police told WDSU Investigates that the investigation is ongoing and more arrests could be made.
The Picayune Police Department posted to Facebook following Thursday's arrests.
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