1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:13,440 The views and opinions expressed in Cold and Missing are exclusively those of the hosts. 2 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:18,120 All parties mentioned are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 3 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:22,420 Cold and Missing also contains adult themes and languages and is intended for a mature 4 00:00:22,420 --> 00:00:23,620 audience. 5 00:00:23,620 --> 00:00:34,400 Listener discretion is advised. 6 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:35,720 Welcome back everyone. 7 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:37,000 Welcome back. 8 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:38,400 This is Cold and Missing. 9 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:41,200 I'm your host, Ali McLaughlin-Sulkowski . 10 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,920 And I am your co-host, Eli Sulkowski. 11 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:47,320 And here at Cold and Missing we focus exclusively on... 12 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,560 Cold cases and unresolved missing person cases. 13 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:56,360 Alright, so we had a little blip this week. 14 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:58,560 Yeah, I want to apologize to our listeners. 15 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:04,120 I know our episodes usually come out on Monday and this is coming out on a Tuesday. 16 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:07,440 Eli and I were both really sick this weekend. 17 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:09,680 You were much more than I was. 18 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:15,800 Yeah, I don't think I've mentioned this before on the podcast, but I get chronic migraines, 19 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,360 so I get like 15 or more a month. 20 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:25,000 And I'm usually able to white-knuckle through them to get the podcast out, but this past 21 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:28,960 weekend was just a three-day non-stop migraine fest. 22 00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:31,640 So I went ahead and took the time to rest. 23 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:36,080 I'm sure if you've ever had a migraine, you will understand. 24 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:40,680 And thanks for joining us on a Tuesday and we'll be back to our regular schedule next 25 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:41,680 week. 26 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:47,520 Well, we're definitely glad to be back, even if we're a day behind schedule. 27 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:50,720 But I think our followers are with us. 28 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:51,840 What do you think, honey? 29 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:53,720 I think they're there. 30 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:56,200 So without further ado, enough waiting. 31 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:59,160 We have a cold case this week. 32 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:00,160 We're on a cold case. 33 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:01,160 Yes. 34 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:02,660 Alrighty, let's get to it. 35 00:02:02,660 --> 00:02:09,120 So today I have a cold case and just as a content warning at the top, this does involve 36 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:11,000 an infant. 37 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:17,880 This is the cold case of Baby Victor, an unknown baby that was found in Fairfield, Connecticut 38 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:20,400 in March of 1986. 39 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:22,860 But first a little bit about Baby Victor. 40 00:02:22,860 --> 00:02:27,400 So Victor was actually given that name by police because they believe that they will 41 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:29,920 be victorious in solving this crime. 42 00:02:29,920 --> 00:02:33,800 Victor was likely born on March 13th, 1986. 43 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:36,280 He would be 37 years old today. 44 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,440 He was white with brown hair and brown eyes. 45 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,340 He was 20 inches long and six pounds. 46 00:02:42,340 --> 00:02:44,400 And now a timeline of events. 47 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:50,760 On Friday, March 14th, 1986, three town conservation employees were emptying trash cans at Lake 48 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:54,020 Mohegan near an area known as the Cascades. 49 00:02:54,020 --> 00:02:56,360 It was a popular jogging and hiking area. 50 00:02:56,360 --> 00:03:00,800 It was also known as a makeout spot and the occasional party would break out there. 51 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:06,880 At 9.53 a.m., the workers find the body of a newborn baby next to a trash can. 52 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:12,040 The baby's body had been laid on a scrap piece of burlap and had been wrapped in women's 53 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:14,200 PJs with red cherries on them. 54 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:20,240 A piece of plastic was laid over the baby and surrounding him were pieces of food, fruit, 55 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:22,360 coins and trinkets. 56 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:26,620 Immediately police begin to wonder if the baby was part of a ritual. 57 00:03:26,620 --> 00:03:31,600 Police Captain Joseph Sandbrook says, quote, We kind of feel that maybe the baby was the 58 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:37,160 result of an unwed mother or maybe was conceived by someone other than the woman's husband. 59 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:41,080 And due to archaic religious beliefs, the baby had to be killed. 60 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,040 And this ritual performed. 61 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,320 That's what it kind of looks like today. 62 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,360 It's just not a baby thrown away. 63 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:48,360 End quote. 64 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:55,280 On Saturday, March 15th, 1986, Victor's autopsy is done and it's revealed that he was alive 65 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:59,520 when he was born and the official cause of death is suffocation. 66 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:04,240 After death, his jaw was broken and injuries were made to the head and face. 67 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:07,360 But police don't go into what they are. 68 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:10,240 They say that it's too, quote, shocking. 69 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:11,240 End quote. 70 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:14,640 But that the marks could have some sort of religious significance. 71 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:20,400 Captain Sandbrook says, quote, We don't believe it is a cult type thing, but we suspect that 72 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:23,160 some sort of ceremony was performed. 73 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:24,160 End quote. 74 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:29,280 Police begin talking with religious officials and anthropology professors about what this 75 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:30,840 could possibly be. 76 00:04:30,840 --> 00:04:35,920 It's also around this time that police are contacted by a bank data processing center 77 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:41,920 that was located at the King's Highway Black Rock Turnpike Traffic Circle in Fairfield. 78 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:46,440 According to police, employees heard screaming coming from the women's restroom on March 79 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:49,440 13th, the day before Victor was found. 80 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:51,480 Then employees heard a baby crying. 81 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:56,600 No one in the office checked the noises out and the bathrooms were only accessible to 82 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:57,600 employees. 83 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:02,440 On the evening, a cleaning crew found a large quantity of blood in the women's restroom. 84 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:07,440 The crew cleans it up, leaving no trace and again doesn't report it. 85 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:12,700 On Tuesday, March 18th, police believe heavily that the killing was part of a ritual and 86 00:05:12,700 --> 00:05:15,400 they begin to zero in on Santeria. 87 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:21,200 However, very quickly, people with actual knowledge of Santeria shut this down. 88 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:25,880 Alan Howard, the professor of anthropology at the University of Massachusetts, Boston 89 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:31,960 says quote, categorically, nothing that was done to harm the child had anything to do 90 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,400 with Santeria, end quote. 91 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:39,200 Since baby Victor was found, police had been scouring the area looking for clues. 92 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:44,720 They'll use bloodhounds, aircraft and deploy divers into Lake Mohegan and the nearby Mill 93 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,880 River, but they'll all come up empty. 94 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:52,860 On Thursday, March 20th, this is six days since baby Victor was found, police announced 95 00:05:52,860 --> 00:05:58,040 that they are going to be operating in a quote, media blackout, but hold firm that the murder 96 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:00,780 was religious or ritualistic. 97 00:06:00,780 --> 00:06:05,960 Police also invite detective Richard Alvarez, a detective from New Jersey who had investigated 98 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:09,560 cult related killings to Fairfield to review the case. 99 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:13,040 And then from here, the case really goes cold. 100 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:20,560 It is a little hard to research because the baby didn't have a name until 2011. 101 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:26,520 But in everything that I could find, the next thing that pops up is actually in 2009. 102 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:31,420 In 2009, so this would be 23 years since baby Victor was found. 103 00:06:31,420 --> 00:06:36,120 In reviewing the case, police review the crime scene photos and notice graffiti on a picnic 104 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:40,000 table 20 to 30 feet from where Victor was found. 105 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:45,440 The graffiti ultimately leads back to a Bridgeport West End gang who used to hang out in the 106 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:46,440 area. 107 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:54,480 In March 2011, so this is 25 years since baby Victor has been found, police reopen the investigation. 108 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,980 It's also at this time that he's given the name Victor. 109 00:06:57,980 --> 00:07:02,640 Police began reexamining the evidence to see if there are any things that can be tested 110 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:04,320 with new technology. 111 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:09,880 And from this, police are able to pull a full DNA profile from the pajamas who they believe 112 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:14,760 were Victor's mother and they believe the DNA profile is Victor's mother. 113 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:18,840 But then that is all that I could find. 114 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:26,360 In 2018, there was a 32 year anniversary where they went over the case again in the local 115 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:27,840 media, but that was really it. 116 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:33,400 There was no new evidence that was revealed in 2018. 117 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:41,120 So if you know anything about the death of baby Victor or the identity of baby Victor, 118 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:47,000 you are encouraged to call Detective Carrie Dowling at the Fairfield police and that's 119 00:07:47,000 --> 00:08:09,720 203-254-4840 or you can email her at kdalling.us or you can call the tip line at 860-548-0606 120 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,200 and there is a $25,000 reward. 121 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:19,640 And the sources for today's podcast come from the Hartford Courant and I read seven 122 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:21,120 different articles by them. 123 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:25,040 They really covered this case, especially in 1986 when it was happening. 124 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:32,400 The Daily News, the Post Star, Press of Atlantic City, Ashbury Park Press, Connecticut.gov, 125 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:36,340 ConnecticutInsider.com and ConnecticutPost.com. 126 00:08:36,340 --> 00:08:40,000 So that is the case of baby Victor. 127 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:45,920 And thank you for the trigger warning or just like the content warning. 128 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,680 Yeah, this it's a hard one. 129 00:08:48,680 --> 00:08:54,240 It's I mean, they all are but the and I know we've talked about this before, you know, 130 00:08:54,240 --> 00:09:01,080 specifically in cases that are cold and missing the the discarding of like the human life 131 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:09,640 in in this case, it's just there's no way for that not to feel like very palpable and 132 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:15,040 present because that's literally what happened, you know, or seems like that. 133 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:19,160 And it's just honestly, honey, it's like kind of difficult to talk about. 134 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:21,080 I mean, I don't think it should be easy. 135 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:22,080 Yeah. 136 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:28,040 And I think the added layer of just like not really knowing who this baby is, you know, 137 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:33,680 and being named years after the fact, like that's really heartbreaking because he is 138 00:09:33,680 --> 00:09:40,480 a person he he was a life that was here for a short time, but deserves a name deserves 139 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:42,080 respect deserves it all. 140 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:49,440 So yeah, pretty bunch the instant clue that, you know, whoever gave birth to him was probably 141 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:53,600 not in any sort of positive situation. 142 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:55,600 I'm just going to go ahead and assume. 143 00:09:55,600 --> 00:10:03,720 Yeah, I would say that whoever gave birth to baby Victor was not in a good place. 144 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:10,360 Yeah, I feel like I don't have enough maybe developed language around, you know, pregnancy 145 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:13,200 and and giving birth. 146 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:22,040 But the first thing I thought was like someone was forced into birthing or don't even want 147 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:23,040 to say it. 148 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:30,560 Like, well, I guess that like forced like the baby was maybe not ready. 149 00:10:30,560 --> 00:10:35,080 And do you do you know what I'm saying? 150 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:38,880 Like the baby was taken out or? 151 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:48,720 Well, they do think that baby Victor is tied to the woman giving birth at the bank data 152 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:50,200 processing center. 153 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:51,200 Correct. 154 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:52,200 Yes. 155 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:56,360 And as a side note to that, like, I am somebody who works in an office. 156 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:04,440 And if I heard screaming, coming from the restroom and nobody screaming anywhere, yeah, 157 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:06,960 and nobody thought to go check on it. 158 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:12,000 I'm like, what is happening at this workplace that that is like, that that wasn't out of 159 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:13,000 the norm. 160 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,960 Like if that's the mill, what else is happening there? 161 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:21,120 And for the cleaning crew to like not notify anyone like, hey, there's a bunch of blood 162 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:22,120 in the bathroom. 163 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:24,320 Like, what is like? 164 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:25,320 Yeah. 165 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:32,000 So they do believe that that could possibly be where baby Victor was born because the 166 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,040 timeline matches up to how old he was. 167 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:39,640 Yeah, I mean, I think my body or brain just naturally filled in that detail. 168 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:40,920 That must be who it is. 169 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:47,640 But still the circumstance surrounding that is like, again, like, how what? 170 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:48,640 Why? 171 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,360 Why was someone giving birth in an office if that's the case? 172 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:54,200 And like, no one did anything yet. 173 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:57,760 Just like tons and tons of questions. 174 00:11:57,760 --> 00:11:59,520 Right. 175 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:08,320 And then to go from possibly giving birth in an office to then this site at Lake Mohegan 176 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,760 that is set up. 177 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:15,880 You know, that has the trinkets, it has the coins, it has the fruit like it. 178 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:17,520 Yeah, it took time. 179 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:23,200 So yeah, again, this one is just this one is just very strange. 180 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:28,400 Lots of questions, lots of unanswered already existing questions. 181 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:30,040 Oh, yeah. 182 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:38,440 And again, if you know anything about what happened to baby Victor in March of 1986, 183 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:46,200 please call the tip line at the Fairfield Police Department at 860-548-0606 or you can 184 00:12:46,200 --> 00:13:00,400 contact Detective Carrie Dowling directly at 203-254-4840 or email her at kdalling at 185 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,400 town.fairfield.ct.us. 186 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:06,360 Yeah, that is all we have. 187 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:12,720 So again, as we always pitch at the end of our podcast, if you would like to follow us, 188 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:16,760 we're going to be posting more about baby Victor this week on our Instagram. 189 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:21,320 You can follow us at Cold and Missing while you're in your podcast app getting ready to 190 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:22,600 go to your next show. 191 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:26,640 If you could leave us a review or subscribe so that way you never miss an episode. 192 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:29,920 If we ever have to go on a Tuesday again, you won't miss it. 193 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:33,680 You'll be right in the know and you'll have the new episode there when you wake up in 194 00:13:33,680 --> 00:13:35,720 the morning. 195 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:40,440 And yeah, and thank you so much for everyone who's been reviewing and reaching out to us 196 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:45,360 either via the Instagram or on our YouTube channel. 197 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:49,880 It's been great conversation and really appreciate family that's been reaching out from some 198 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:51,820 of the cases that we've covered. 199 00:13:51,820 --> 00:13:58,160 So yeah, that's honestly when it's the most it's when we feel the work. 200 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:02,760 Yeah, that's the best feeling in the world is to have family say thank you. 201 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:03,760 It's very humbling. 202 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:06,080 But that's all I have. 203 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:08,760 So have a good week and stay safe, y'all. 204 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,560 Stay safe, y'all.