More than four decades after the tragic discovery of a newborn girl, who was found suffocated and abandoned on a North Dakota college campus, authorities have made progress thanks to advancements in DNA technology. They have now filed murder charges against a 65-year-old woman from Arizona.
Nancy Jean Trottier, residing in Sun Lakes, Arizona, appeared in a courtroom in Barnes County on Monday. Investigators used DNA evidence to connect her to the infant, who had been known simply as “Rebecca” for many years. The baby’s remains were found on April 16, 1981, in a wooded area behind a dormitory on the Valley City State University campus. Disturbingly, the baby still had her umbilical cord attached and a plastic cover over her face.
An autopsy indicated that the baby had been born alive approximately three days before her body was discovered and died from acute asphyxia. For years, law enforcement struggled to identify the child, and in the interim, the baby was given the name “Rebecca” before her burial.
The case saw a turning point in 2019 when DNA technology made it possible to reopen the investigation. The authorities exhumed the child’s remains and employed genetic genealogy techniques to search for potential family connections.
As part of the investigation, it was revealed that Trottier had attended Valley City State University from 1978 to 1982. Court documents and reports indicate that during an interview in 2021, Trottier showed signs of emotion and expressed uncertainty, saying things like, “Maybe it was me.” This year, DNA results confirmed a significant breakthrough in the case.
According to investigators, Trottier and her husband were found to be over 3.4 million times more likely to be the biological parents of the baby than to be unrelated individuals. Additionally, DNA matching Trottier’s profile was identified on tissue recovered from the scene.
Trottier faces charges of Class AA Felony Murder and is currently detained with a bail set at $750,000. A preliminary hearing and arraignment are scheduled for May 21.
