In 1986, a baby girl was found dead in a South Jersey dumpster. The FBI is still trying to identify her

Baby Jane Doe's Tragic Story Enters 40th Year of Mystery

Four decades have passed since the discovery of a lifeless newborn girl in a South Jersey dumpster, but investigators remain unable to identify her killer or even give her a name. In an effort to crack this long-standing cold case, the FBI is once again turning to the public for help.

The infant, described as full-term with brown eyes and dark hair, was found wrapped in a distinctive beach towel featuring a cheetah against two trees. The towel has become a crucial piece of evidence, and its presence remains unchanged since 1986. The baby girl was discovered inside a silver plastic trash bag on December 4th that year.

The case began when a farmer stumbled upon the child while searching for scraps to feed his pigs. He alerted authorities, who subsequently located a dumpster outside a Washington Township pizzeria where the body was found. An autopsy revealed that the infant had been suffocated and still retained part of her umbilical cord.

In 1986, investigators recovered fibers from the baby's fists and partial fingerprints on the towel and plastic bag. While this information may have been valuable at the time, DNA evidence – a relatively new tool in law enforcement at the time – was not used to process these leads. The FBI has now renewed its efforts, urging anyone with information about Baby Jane Doe's identity or circumstances surrounding her death to come forward.

The public is invited to submit tips online or call the Philadelphia field office at (215) 418-4000. As the anniversary of the girl's tragic discovery approaches, investigators are hoping that fresh leads and new DNA analysis will finally bring closure to this enduring mystery.

ugh its just so sad thinking about this little girl who died in those disgusting dumpsters she was probably only days old when her life was cut short its crazy how much time has passed yet we still dont know what happened to her or who did it the FBI is trying to use dna testing now which might actually help us figure out whodunit hopefully someone comes forward with some info soon and we can finally give her a name and some peace

OMG u guys i just saw dis news about baby jane doe its like 40 yrs ago & still no one knows who killed her? the towel with the cheetah is still there btw that's wild the FBI is trying to get new DNA and urging ppl to come forward w tips. u can even submit tips online i feel bad 4 her, whoever did this needs 2 be caught ASAP

This case still gives me chills to this day... I mean, can you even imagine stumbling upon a newborn in a dumpster? It's like something out of a horror movie. The fact that the FBI is re-releasing a map with the towel and everything just shows how desperate they are for leads. I've been following this case since it first went down, and it's crazy to think we're still no closer to finding out who did this. As for Baby Jane Doe, she deserves so much more than just an ID - she deserves justice. I'm gonna make sure to submit my own tip online... you never know, maybe we can finally give her the closure she needs.

I mean, come on! It's crazy that it's been 40 years since this poor baby was found in a dumpster. I'm shocked no one has cracked the case yet. The FBI is right to reopen it and ask for the public's help, but honestly, I think DNA evidence would've solved it by now if they'd used it back then . The beach towel with the cheetah print is super creepy btw . If anyone has a lead, even a tiny one, it's gotta be submitted ASAP . This case needs closure for Baby Jane Doe and her family, and I hope they get it soon .

I'm so sad about Baby Jane Doe's story, it's been 40 years and we still don't know who she is or what happened to her The fact that the FBI is reopening the case is a good sign, I hope they get some new leads and can finally give her a name and bring closure to her family. It's crazy how much DNA evidence has changed over the years and now it could be the key to solving this case The beach towel with the cheetah on it is such an iconic piece of evidence, I wonder if anyone remembers seeing something like it before

I think it's amazing that we're still talking about Baby Jane Doe today, it shows how much people care about unsolved cases and want to see justice served It would be a big relief for her family if this case was finally solved, I hope they get the answers they've been searching for for so long

OMG I'm thinking about Baby Jane Doe and it's just so heartbreaking... her story is like a never-ending nightmare 40 years of waiting for answers is just too much how can people leave a tiny human to die in a dumpster?

It's crazy that the FBI is revisiting this case, maybe new DNA analysis will finally give us some clues. But I hope whoever did this is caught and gets justice and a memorial or something would be amazing for Baby Jane Doe... she deserves it

Ugh, can you even imagine finding a dead baby in a dumpster like that?! It gives me chills just thinking about it. The FBI is really reaching out for help now, and I hope they get some leads soon. That beach towel with the cheetah on it has to be super valuable evidence. DNA analysis can be game-changer, so hopefully they're able to crack this case once and for all. 40 years is way too long, you feel? It's like, what even happened to her?!

This case is so heartbreaking , you can't even imagine what her parents would've been going through if she was alive. The fact that it's still unsolved after 40 years is just devastating . I mean, the FBI is re-releasing old photos and asking for tips online – I think they're doing the right thing by trying to get more eyes on this case, but at the same time, it feels like we've been here before a lot of times .

I do wonder if new DNA analysis could finally crack this case... it's crazy how much technology has changed since 1986 . If anyone out there knows anything – no matter how small it might seem – they should totally reach out to the FBI. We need to keep pushing for answers and hoping that Baby Jane Doe can finally find some peace .

.. can't believe it's been 40 years since they found this poor baby girl in a dumpster . It's like, what happened to her? Who could've done something so heinous? The FBI is trying again, but I'm not holding my breath . They should be able to crack this case with all the DNA tech and surveillance stuff we got now. Maybe someone out there recognizes that towel or knows something about a pizzeria that fits the timeline. It's like, come on people, help them solve this mystery before it's too late... 40 years is just ridiculous . I'm sending some vibes to the investigators, hoping they get some fresh info and can finally give Baby Jane Doe a name and closure .

Ugh I'm still shocked by this case , can you believe it's been 40 years since Baby Jane Doe was found? She deserves justice and a name, but it's crazy how little progress has been made despite all these attempts to crack the case . The towel with the cheetah print is still there, and I guess that's like a constant reminder of what happened to her .

It's wild to think about how much DNA technology has advanced since 1986 , so it's surprising they didn't use it back then. Maybe this new round of efforts will finally bring some answers . The public is being asked to help, and I hope someone out there has a lead that can finally give Baby Jane Doe the closure she deserves .

This case is literally breaking my heart . A tiny human life lost in such a cruel way... it's just devastating. I can only imagine how painful this must be for the farmer who found her, and his family all these years ago. The fact that we still don't know what happened to her is just so frustrating . I'm hoping that by sharing her story and encouraging people to come forward with any information they might have, we can finally get some answers and bring closure to Baby Jane Doe's loved ones . 40 years is way too long for a mystery like this to remain unsolved... let's hope our collective efforts will help crack the case .

Ugh I know it's so heartbreaking but I think this is actually a great opportunity for us to come together as a community . 40 years may seem like a long time, but I'm sure there are still people out there who remember something about that day or have seen Baby Jane Doe's photo somewhere. Fingers crossed that we can finally give her a name and some peace . And can you imagine the impact of all these social media platforms on finding new leads? It's like, the more eyes on this case, the better! Let's keep spreading the word and see if we can crack this cold case once and for all