Danbury, Connecticut — A 28-year-old Connecticut woman has been charged with murder after investigators say she gave birth to a baby boy and deliberately placed him — still alive — inside a dumpster in a remote location, hoping no one would ever find him.
Dominique Harrison now faces a charge of murder of a victim less than 16 years old, according to the Danbury Police Department. The case stretches back nearly a decade, when Stamford police first discovered the infant’s remains in 2018. A lengthy investigation eventually determined the baby had been killed in Danbury, and last week — eight years after the discovery — authorities finally made an arrest.
Prosecutors did not disclose the exact cause of the baby’s death or the specific evidence that connected Harrison to the child. However, they stated in court that Harrison herself admitted to placing her newborn son in the dumpster.
The words spoken in the courtroom during Monday’s arraignment were striking. Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Caitlin Harding told the judge the case presents a level of depravity that is nearly inconceivable, stating that Harrison allegedly put her living newborn baby in a dumpster in a remote area specifically so that no one could reach him in time to save his life.
Prosecutors also revealed that statements Harrison made to investigators following her arrest have opened the door to additional investigations, raising the possibility of further charges being filed.
Harrison’s defense attorney argued she is not a danger to the community, pointing to her steady employment and active presence in the community in recent years. The judge, however, sided with the prosecution’s concern for public safety and set her bond at $2.5 million.
Harrison is scheduled to return to court on July 31.
The case has drawn widespread attention, raising painful questions about what drove a mother to make such a devastating choice — and why it took nearly a decade for justice to arrive.
