Authorities have searched sewer drains in New Brunswick and a landfill, but have yet to find the baby, authorities said.
NEW BRUNSWICK -- A couple has been charged with the illegal disposal of a newborn baby, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey announced Friday.
Carey said Jaciel Torres-Lopez, 34, and Mercedes Sanchez-Torres, 30, have been charged with hindering an investigation into the death of their newborn and desecration of human remains.
The prosecutor said Torres-Lopez was served with the charges at the Middlesex County jail where he has been held since his arrest May 17 after being charged with hindering for lying to police during the investigation.
Sanchez-Torres was charged Thursday at St. Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick, where she was admitted after giving birth to the male infant, Carey said.
He said Torres-Lopez and Sanchez-Torres were charged during the investigation after it was determined the woman gave birth to the child, but the baby's location was unknown.
Carey said police authorized an excavation of a sewer line at the couple's home on Remsen Avenue on May 17 and then began a search of the Edgeboro Disposal Inc., landfill in East Brunswick on May 18. He said as many as 30 law enforcement officers have been searching for the infant's remains, which have yet to be recovered.
Bail has been set for each defendant at $100,000. They were charged Thursday, the prosecutor said.
He said the search and investigation are continuing.
The investigation is being conducted by New Brunswick police Detective Harry Lemmerling (732) 745-5200 and county Detective David Abromaitis (732) 745-3300.
Carey asked that anyone with information please call either Lemmerling or Abromaitis.
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