Mother of Massachusetts "Baby Doe," and boyfriend, arrested

BOSTON -- A Massachusetts prosecutor says the mother of "Baby Doe," the toddler girl who was found dead inside a trash bag on a Boston Harbor beach this summer, has been arrested along with her boyfriend.

Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley told a Friday afternoon news conference he has authorized a murder charge for the boyfriend, 35-year-old Michael McCarthy, and the child's mother, Rachelle Bond, is under arrest on a charge of accessory to murder after the fact.

Conley identified the child as Bella Bond, and said she is younger than three years old.

She had come to be known as Baby Doe over the course of a months long investigation that included a massive social media campaign to learn her identity. The Massachusetts House Speaker says the mother and her boyfriend are blaming each other for the girl's death.

Her body was found June 25 inside a trash bag on Deer Island in Winthrop by a woman walking a dog.

Conley called the child "a true innocent." He said homicide detectives in Boston "received a critical tip...that brought us to this point." He went on to say it's "not the end of this case. it's the beginning."

Massachusetts State Police Col. Richard McKeon said, "83 days after we found this little girl we're at last able to speak for Baby Bella."

"To learn...Baby Doe was not even 3 years old breaks everybody's heart," said Boston Police Commissioner William Evans.

He added that "It's a good day that we brought a name to this face but it's a sad day that we lost a young child and we'll never be able to bring her back."

DA Conley said more about the evidence against the toddler's mother and her boyfriend will be revealed in court on Monday.