World · Europe · 2 hrs ago
Potsdam police seek DNA samples from 1,500 women in 2011 baby death case
In 2011, a newborn girl was found dead in a Potsdam garage complex shortly before Christmas.
Investigators named her Victoria; police said she was capable of surviving but had signs of violence.
Police are asking about 1,500 women to give saliva samples voluntarily in late November.
They were selected based on their age, where they lived at the time and their connection to the area, and some now live in other states.
More than 2,000 samples have already been checked against evidence in the case.
The new testing may help rule out possible mothers and move the investigation forward.
Police are still seeking the baby's mother and witnesses, and are offering a €10,000 reward for information that helps solve the case.
Potsdam police are asking around 1,500 women to give voluntary saliva samples as part of a new effort to identify the mother of a baby found dead in 2011.
The women are selected by age, former residence or connection to the area, and some are being contacted in other German states.
The baby, named Victoria by investigators, was found in a garage complex in Potsdam-West wrapped in a towel and showing signs of violence.
Police say more than 2,000 saliva samples have already been compared with evidence in the case.
A €10,000 reward is being offered for information that helps solve the crime.
- Who
- Potsdam police are seeking samples from around 1,500 women.
- What
- They are conducting a mass DNA test to help identify the mother of a baby found dead in 2011.
- When
- The baby was found in 2011; the new samples are due to be provided in November 2026.
- Where
- The baby was found in a garage complex in Potsdam-West. Samples can be provided at Zeppelin-Grundschule in Potsdam.
- Why
- Police hope to identify or exclude possible mothers and advance the investigation.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The baby was born during the night, according to T-Online.
A passer-by found the lifeless baby in a garage complex in Potsdam-West.
Around 1,500 women are being asked to provide voluntary saliva samples.
- Women invited
- Around 1,500
- Previous samples compared
- More than 2,000
- Baby's name
- Victoria
- Discovery location
- Garage complex in Potsdam-West
- Reward
- €10,000
- Sample collection site
- Zeppelin-Grundschule, Potsdam
3 sources
What people are saying
The selection of the women is based on their age, their former place of residence or their connection to the area under investigation.
Even after all this time, the police have not given up the search for the baby's mother.
The police hope for strong participation, as every saliva sample provided can help exclude women as the infant's possible mother and advance the investigation.