FBI Investigates Dead Newborn Found Aboard Cruise Ship

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The FBI says a mother whose newborn baby was found dead on the Carnival Dream cruise ship has returned to the United States.

An FBI spokesman said Monday that the 20-year-old woman returned to the United States late Sunday after being detained by Dutch authorities in St. Maarten.

The cruise ship was docked on the Dutch side of the Caribbean island when a Carnival crew member found the lifeless newborn in a ship's cabin last week.

The FBI says the woman was invited on the cruise to celebrate a close friend's birthday.

An FBI agent has been sent to St. Maarten to work with Dutch authorities on the investigation.

The Carnival Dream set sail Sunday for its regularly-scheduled seven-day cruise.

Comments

[dbrett480]

01:49 PM on 10/18/2011

I can see a 15 or 16 year old girl doing something like this. But she was 20 years old and knows exactly what she did. Either she didn't care that the baby died or she wanted the baby to die.

[anilimili]

10:40 PM on 10/17/2011

I was wondering if they'd have more information than they did yesterday, but it seems they do not. Or not yet. So there are still a lot of questions about this woman--did she know she was pregnant? If so, why did she lie about it (she wouldn't have been allowed on the cruise in the last phase of pregnancy)? If she didn't know, how come she didn't know? How come she didn't ask for help? What happened to the baby? Where did she go to after the birth? What is WRONG WITH HER?

What a sad story--so many people would've been delighted to adopt that baby if she didn't want him. There are safe-haven laws, and I am sure hat had she asked for help, the baby would've been kept safe. What a shame it is. It is really unforgivable. Even when there's a mental cause, it is still unforgivable.

On another note, I gather that they won't tell the future passengers of what happened in that cabin...I would sure not want to be in it...

[flyingfortresb17]

08:50 PM on 10/17/2011

How could she not call for help with a doctor on board? Was "she" one of those women who proclaim they didn't know they were pregnant? Or was being the "life" of the party more important?

[rosasturtles1]

05:15 PM on 10/17/2011

poor baby didn't have a chance at living..rip..luka

[basketpam]

04:09 PM on 10/17/2011

Even though it's very disturbing, I no longer find it surprising that such a thing has happened. Sadly, we are becoming far too familiar with hearing about such terrible things with infants and children. What actually shocked me more than anything in this story is that the FBI actually sent an email to the media that it even happened. Why would they do such a thing? I would think the last thing they would want is for the media to be all over this thing. As far as I'm concerned the thousands of news and media businesses out there today are far TOO nosy and involved in every tiny little aspect of everyone's lives. It's bad enough what they dig out on their own, why call them up and tell them even more? I'm sure the cruise company wasn't happy with this being spread out all over the world news.

[riverlee34]

03:44 PM on 10/17/2011

This is the exact same story the ran a few days ago, word for word I'm pretty sure. If there are no new findings why rerun? Must be reaaaally sloooow in the HP offices today!

[wadisplace]

01:21 PM on 10/17/2011

That is called Retroactive Abortion.

[olbob757]

01:12 PM on 10/17/2011

Strange story. Seems that if some crime were intended, the body would have been thrown overboard. Ignorance seems to have played a part here.

[nightstc]

12:43 PM on 10/17/2011

Anyone want to remember the baby is dead, not who (both) is responsible for birth control?

[CapsFan1988]

12:42 PM on 10/17/2011

Casey Anthony II


...like Speed II fyi

[jschortz2]

12:04 PM on 10/17/2011

I guess now is not the time to revive the dead baby jokes.

[onebluebrick]

04:49 PM on 10/17/2011

There are no dead baby jokes. Just some idiot's version of gallows humor.

[Geri Cizmar]

12:04 PM on 10/17/2011

parents*

[Geri Cizmar]

12:03 PM on 10/17/2011

People are making comments about how girls need to keep their legs closed. What about directing comments to parent on how important it is to teach their daughters that boyfriends and sex shouldn't be priorities in their young lives?

[yoda1569]

06:39 PM on 10/17/2011

Girls need to keep their legs closed as much as boys need to keep their zippers zipped! There is such a thing called birth control if people dont want children. I'm married, and have 2 beautiful children, but thats all i wanted, so what did i do to prevent myself from becomming pregnant again? My husband and i use protection, and it works like a charm!! No pregnancy scares in the 6 years we have been using protection! It does'nt take a rocket scientist to figure this out!!! If you (male or female) dont want to have a baby then put a "cap" on it, and pullout with the condom before you cum! Or swallow birthcontrol pills, wear a condom, and pull out! Then your triple protected!! There should be no excuses for unwanted pregnancies, besides rape!! Their are so many birthcontrol methods out there that it's not even funny!!!! You dont want a child? Choose some of the 1000's of methods available to you to prevent it then!!!

[Geri Cizmar]

01:27 PM on 10/18/2011

There should be no excuse for unwanted pregnancies besides rape? Ever hear of a condom breaking or women getting pregnant while on the pill?
And there are thousands of methods?
I guess you can use the triple method of pills,condoms, and pulling out all at the same time but to be realistic, a lot of people might not use even one.
As I had said in my previous comment, and I don't know if my point was understood by you, society needs to educate their children more.
You can use the 3 methods you mentioned and add IUD's and the morning after pill.
My point is, people aren't doing their jobs as parents and so we have undereducated kids thinking sex is no big deal. And what about STD's? You can still get herpes while using a comment.
Parents need to be parents period.

[glassguy2]

11:07 AM on 10/17/2011

was the mother there also? ,was she out scuba diving? was she eating cocolate melting cake . more info please

[Marie McClusky]

01:01 PM on 10/17/2011

the story said she was detained

[Rachel Kramer]

10:14 AM on 10/17/2011

if these young women dont want to be mothers then they need to seriously keep their legs closed or get on birthcontrol

[gena cunningham]

10:38 AM on 10/17/2011

While I agree that a woman SHOULD use birth control if she doesn't want to be a mother at the time, what about the other 50% of the equation? I'm assuming you agree that if a man doesn't want to be a father, he should use a condom, or preferably, because they DO break on occasion, keep his junk in his pants.

[evelynsdaughter1]

01:47 PM on 10/17/2011

Only woman can get pregnant, they should take responsibility for theire procreative capabilities. It is 2011 and there are numerous, effective ways to stay out of that situation.

And before you say ANYTHING, I am a 53 year old POST menopausal woman who CHOSE not to have children and INSURED that it did NOT happen during my reproductive years, without any methods that were considered permanent.

I can't stand when young women use the phrase "he got me pregnant"!

If you want to play the game, be aware of the rules and the consequences.

[Rachel Frye]

11:01 AM on 10/17/2011

So by your logic, these women were taken advantage of by opportunistic men and you're just victim blaming? Wow, very logical...