A Connecticut woman has been arraigned on a murder charge in the death of her newborn son, in a case prosecutors described as involving a level of depravity that is nearly inconceivable. Dominique Harrison, 28, is accused of killing the infant in a manner authorities called particularly heinous, reviving a years-old mystery that had haunted investigators.
According to the allegations laid out in court, Harrison placed the newborn baby alive in a dumpster in a remote area, leaving the child where no one could reach or save him. The accusation that the infant was still alive when he was discarded is at the heart of the case against her.
The case dates back to October 16, 2018. That is when workers at City Carting in Stamford discovered a baby's body that had been brought to the facility by one of the many trucks dumping garbage and recyclables, a grim find that launched a long investigation into who the child was and how he died.
Over the years, the inquiry led Stamford detectives to Danbury, the city Harrison is from and where police say the killing actually occurred. Her arrest warrant has been sealed, meaning the full evidence in the case has not been made public, even as the charges against her have now been formally filed.
In court, Assistant State's Attorney Mary Caitlin Harding said that after several police interviews, Harrison admitted to placing the baby alive in a dumpster in Danbury. Harding told the court that the case against her is very strong and that the investigation is still ongoing, with additional very serious charges expected.
Harrison faces murder with special circumstances, which prosecutors described as the most serious charge available in the state. Arguing that the defendant is a danger to society, the state asked for a 2.5 million dollar bond, a request that underscored how gravely authorities view the allegations.
Judge Sean McGinnis set bond at 2.5 million dollars, matching the amount sought by prosecutors. Harrison, who cried throughout her arraignment, now awaits the next steps in a case that reaches back more than seven years to the discovery that first set the investigation in motion.