Background: Pine Island Pond in Manchester, New Hampshire (WMUR-TV/YouTube). Inset: Hepay Juma (Manchester Police Department).
A New Hampshire woman stands accused of killing her newborn baby, an incident that raised suspicions when the infant’s body was discovered floating in a pond.
The New Hampshire Department of Justice announced the arrest of 26-year-old Hepay Juma on charges of reckless second-degree murder. She is accused of causing the death of her child, known as Baby Jane “Grace” Doe, in a manner that showed extreme disregard for human life. This development comes nearly a year after the tragic discovery of the baby’s body.
On March 27, 2025, a local woman spotted a body in Pine Island Pond, located in Manchester, New Hampshire, as reported by local ABC affiliate WMUR. Upon notification, the Manchester Police Department launched an investigation into the matter.
Authorities deemed the circumstances surrounding the child’s death as “suspicious.” They concluded that the body had been placed in the water between March 25 and March 27, 2025. Despite their efforts, the police could not immediately identify the infant, prompting a public appeal for assistance in solving the case.
In May 2025, a public funeral was organized for the young victim, affectionately referred to as “Grace.” “It is truly heartbreaking how she was abandoned, and we felt it was important to ensure she received a proper farewell,” remarked Manchester Police Chief Peter Marr, as reported by Boston’s CBS affiliate WBZ-TV.
The investigation pressed on, eventually leading authorities to identify individuals who might have been involved with or related to the child. While the authorities have kept the baby’s real name and cause of death under wraps, it is reported that the girl’s father was part of the investigation.
“We felt that there was sufficient evidence to proceed with an arrest for reckless second-degree murder,” Senior Assistant Attorney General Nicholas Chong Yen told WMUR of the charge against the mother, adding that the baby was a newborn. “That means that this was a homicide, that Hepay Juma caused the death of Baby Doe.”
Authorities said that the investigation is ongoing.
