The girl was known as Baby Doe as investigators launched a massive social media campaign to find out who she was and how she died.
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A combination photo shows Michael Patrick McCarthy (R) and Rachelle Bond, 40, mother of the 2-1/2-year-old girl Bella Bond.
Rachelle Bond and McCarthy were arrested on Friday subsequent to a tip off from an unnamed acquaintance who was able to draw the dots after repeatedly being told that the child had been taken by DCF, with the department verifying in fact that Bella was not in their care, despite two prior instances of neglect which led to service visits.
Bella Bond’s biological father, Joe Amoroso, was in court for the arraignment on Monday morning.
Amoroso said he has been in Florida and returned to Massachusetts in August.
The girl, who was just shy of her third birthday, was found on the rocky beaches of Deer Island on 25 June. “This is the mother of my child”. Amoroso said earlier he doesn’t believe his child’s mother would have harmed her. At a news conference Friday, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley said that a tip called into Boston Police Thursday provided the big break in the case.
The tipster asked Bond about the child’s whereabouts, and the mother admitted after being confronted that Bella was dead, according to the source. “Like a nightmare?” says Patricia Quinn, Bella Bond’s grandmother. Speaking with reporters after Bella Bond’s identification was made public, Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley said police have pieced the evidence and have a good idea as to how “Baby Doe” was murdered.
Amoroso, the biological father, says Bond told him that her boyfriend had punched Bella in the stomach over and over again until she stopped breathing.
Officers from the state’s baby safety company stated that they had with Bella twice, for 4 months in 2012 and three months in 2013.
Over the weekend, mourners – many of whom did not know Bella – stopped by Deer Island to leave candles, balloons, and stuffed animals in an impromptu memorial for her, NBC affiliate WHDH reported. “I’d say he was one of my favorite guests”, said Montgomery, whose four-bedroom Montgomery Homestead Inn offers on its website a place to “forget life’s stresses” for a slower, … The brand and make of the black-and-white polka dotted trousers she was wearing and the zebra-striped blanket found alongside her were dutifully noted, but they came from national chains – Target and K-Mart – and could have been purchased anywhere.
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More information is expected to be released after Ms Bond and Mr McCarthy appear in court.
