Murder of Bella Bond

Bella Bond
Undated photograph of Bella Bond
Born
Bella Neveah Amoroso Bond

August 6, 2012[1]
StatusIdentified after 85 days
Diedc. May – June 2015 (aged 2)
Dorchester, Boston, Massachusetts, US
Cause of deathUndetermined; manner considered homicide[2][3]
Body discoveredJune 25, 2015
Resting placeWinthrop Cemetery
Other names"Baby Doe"
Known forFormer unidentified decedent
Height3 ft 1 in (0.94 m) (minimum)
3 ft 6 in (1.07 m) (maximum)
Parents
  • Joe Amoroso (father)
  • Rachelle Bond (mother)

Bella Neveah Amoroso Bond[4][5] (August 6, 2012 – May or June 2015),[6][7][8] previously known as the Deer Island Jane Doe and "Baby Doe",[9][10] was an American child whose body was found in a plastic bag on the shore of Deer Island in Boston, Massachusetts, on June 25, 2015.[11]

Authorities pursued numerous leads of investigation into discovering the child's identity until their efforts proved successful in September 2015.[12][13] This publicity generated many tips with possible leads, one of which led to the girl's identity. Bella Bond was identified on September 18, 2015.[8][13]

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children facially reconstructed the child's face to provide the public with an estimation of the victim's appearance during life.[14] They aimed to generate tips to a potential identity and to locate the individual or individuals responsible for the disposal of her body.[14] After the reconstruction was released and news coverage began nationwide, a large amount of public attention emerged; an estimated 56 million people viewed reports on the case.[9][15][16][17][18] Half of these occurred within the first week after the body was found.[19]

Bond's mother, Rachelle Bond, and her boyfriend, Michael McCarthy, were arrested, and authorities confirmed that Bella had been murdered, despite the fact that an initial autopsy performed on the body did not uncover the exact cause of death.[2][20][21][22]

Rachelle Bond was charged with being an "accessory after the fact" in regards to her daughter's murder; she later pleaded guilty as the result of a plea deal.[2][5][23] McCarthy was charged with murder in the case and was later convicted of murder in the second degree. On June 28, 2017, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with future parole.

  1. ^ "Bella Bond scheduled to be buried Nov. 28". WCVB 5. Boston, Massachusetts: ABC. 21 November 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference was was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference boyfriend was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference curran was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference charged was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Zalkind, Susan; Zavadski, Katie (18 September 2015). "Exclusive: Police Identify Boston's 'Baby Doe' As Bella". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  7. ^ "Who was 'Baby Doe'? Photos of Bella Bond". WCBV Boston. ABC. 18 September 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  8. ^ a b "'Baby Doe' identified as Boston girl, Bella Bond, 5 Investigates reports". AOL. September 18, 2015. Archived from the original on 20 September 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Investigators vetting tips as search for Baby Doe's identity continues". My Fox Boston. Fox News. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  10. ^ "'Baby Doe' identified as Boston girl". WAOW 9 North Central Wisconsin. 18 September 2015. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference namus was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Orfanides, Effie (18 September 2015). "Baby Doe Identified: Police Say Child is 3 Year Old Boston Medical Examiner Report Pending". Inquisitr. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  13. ^ a b "'Baby Doe' identified as Boston girl, 5 Investigates reports". WCBV 5 News. ABC. 18 September 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  14. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference criminologist was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference gelz was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference walsh was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference puz was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ Allen, Evan; Ramos, Nestor (4 July 2015). "Millions view site seeking to ID girl in Deer Island case". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference da was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference millions was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  21. ^ Cite error: The named reference desp was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  22. ^ Fiandaca, Cheryl; Cooper, Steve; Chen, Nancy; Oliverio, Nicole (18 September 2015). "Mother's boyfriend arrested for killing young girl ID'd as Bella Bond". WHDH News 7. NBC. Archived from the original on 18 September 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  23. ^ Allen, Evan (10 February 2017). "Rachelle Bond, mother of Bella Bond, pleads guilty". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on 10 February 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2017.