Vital clue could ‘hold the key’ to tracking Baby Carrie’s killer 22 YEARS after the mutilated tot was found in a bin bag
A VITAL clue could hold the key to tracking down Baby Carrie's killer - 22 years after the murdered tot was found by four school kids.
A newborn baby was discarded in a bin liner with 11 stab wounds and a fractured skull in Carryduff, Northern Ireland on March 26, 2002.
The horrific case sent chills down the community's spine, in what was called "the most horrendous murder of a baby who had no chance".
Police named the infant Baby Carrie, after the area in which she was found.
Tragic Baby Carrie is believed to have been buried in a garden or flowerbed before being moved to the Duck Walk, behind Lough Moss Leisure Centre.
Four school children uncovered the body, brothers Raymond and Ryan Waddell, aged 13 and 10, alongside Danielle Clifton and Rachel Mills, both aged 10.
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It is understood the lifeless newborn could have been lying there for up to several weeks.
A post mortem indicated the baby girl had been murdered almost immediately after birth.
In May 2002, the Police Service of Northern Ireland conducted a mass DNA screening of up to 600 women aged 13 to 45 who were not currently pregnant.
Detective Chief Inspector Roy McComb, who was in charge of the investigation,: "This is the most horrendous murder of a baby who had no chance - she is the most vulnerable of all victims."
The detective said if they could identify the mother, the force could get "much closer to identifying the person who murdered" Baby Carrie.
Rape, or my first thought was incest, I wonder if we're dealing with that kind of context that meant the child had to be murdered to ensure the silence of how it had been conceived
David Wilson
But unfortunately there was never a DNA match, and the case has gone unsolved for 22 years.
A inter-denominational service for Baby Carrie was held at a funeral parlour on August 29.
The four children who discovered the body attended to pay their respects and walked behind the tiny white coffin - which was carried by Sergeant Lindsay McNair, who was part of the investigation.
The little girl was buried at Knockbreda Cemetery and an inscription on the headstone reads: “Baby Carrie – known only to God.”
'INCREDIBLY INTRGUIGING'
Esteemed criminologist David Wilson, spoke exclusively to The Sun about the chilling details.
He suggested one "intriguing" clue could hold the key to tracking down Baby Carrie's killer.
"What an appalling case. I'm intrigued by the fact the baby was buried and dug up again," he said.
“Where credible investigative lines of enquiry are identified, capable of progressing the investigation into her death, we will follow them.
“I would ask anyone who has any information which may assist us with the investigation into Carrie’s murder to contact Police on 101.”
A report can also be made online using the non-emergency reporting form.
Anyone with any information can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.
Meanwhile, Mr McComb, who led the case over two decades ago, issued a fresh message to the mother earlier this year.
“All I would say to mum is that, if you’re still there, this was still your daughter,” he said.
“There’s still time for you to claim back your daughter who may have been taken from you beyond your control… just to be able to do the honest, decent thing.”
He added: “We never made a judgement on her circumstances, or on her guilt or innocence, we always said it was likely to be another pair of hands and I hold that to this day.”
The detective also said Baby Carrie was "unlike every other homicide investigation" he had led.
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"There was just a void," he said.
“That’s why I was so keen from early on to give her an identity; to ensure she didn’t get lost, anonymised or forgotten about.”