Dead Baby Found In Recycling Center Dumpster Not Missing Okemos Newborn

ROSEVILLE (WWJ) - Roseville police say that DNA results on the remains of a baby found in a dumpster at the Great Lakes Recycling Center reveal that the newborn does not belong to a 25-year-old Lansing area woman.

Melissa Mitin of Okemos is on trial for the 2013 murder of her baby girl. Mitin gave birth to another child, a baby boy, in December while out on bond — but told police she's could not recall where he is.  She's now back behind bars and the baby is still missing.

Roseville Police Chief James Berlin said, in the light of this new information, his investigation has taken a very different turn.

"Sometime from Tuesday, over through  the last couple of weeks, somebody has given birth to a child we believe somewhere in the middle or lower part of Michigan," Berlin said.  "We have 34 possible locations where this dumpster could've come from."

The discovery was made around 11 p.m. Wednesday at the ReCommunity Recycling Center on Groesbeck Highway, between 12 and 13 Mile roads.

The baby, a Caucasian male, is estimated to be between one and three days old. Police said the child had no visible signs of trauma; but due to the condition of the body it could be days before the Macomb County Medical Examiner can determine the cause of death.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Roseville Police at 586-775-2100.

Authorities are reminding the public that Michigan has a "safe haven" law — which allows parents to safely surrender their newborn child, no more than 72-hours-old, to an employee who is inside and on duty at any hospital, fire department or police station, or by calling 911. This program is a safe, legal and anonymous alternative to abandonment or infanticide, and releases the newborn for placement with an adoptive family.