Mother Arraigned for Abandoning Newborn
BOSTON, March 1, 2021 — A newborn baby is safe and recovering today as the woman accused of placing the child in a Dorchester trash barrel shortly after giving birth faced a judge.
MARIE MERISIER, 33, was arraigned today in the Dorchester Division of the Boston Municipal Court on charges of attempted murder and reckless endangerment of a child. Judge Jonathan Tynes set bail in the amount of $100,000 and ordered Ms. Merisier to stay away from and have no contact with the newborn victim and any witnesses, remain under home confinement and submit to GPS monitoring in the event she is to be released on bail.
Assistant District Attorney Audrey Mark, Chief of DA Rollins’ Child Protection Unit, told the court that Ms. Merisier gave birth at a Dorchester apartment on Friday, February 26, 2021. As she prepared to leave the apartment, a resident heard the newborn crying inside Ms. Merisier’s leather bag and asked if she required an ambulance. She allegedly declined. The individual called 911 after Ms. Merisier left.
After leaving the apartment, Ms. Merisier was captured by a security camera as she removed something from her bag and placed it in a trash barrel outside a Dorchester Avenue restaurant. A passerby heard a baby crying inside the trash bin and flagged down a nearby ambulance for help. EMS workers recovered a knotted plastic bag with the newborn inside. The newborn was transported to an area hospital. Ms. Merisier was also taken to a hospital.
“I want to offer my deepest thanks to the two individuals who sought immediate help for this baby at the first sign of crisis and to the first responders who rushed into action to assist and protect the child. It is because of all of these swift actions that this beautiful newborn is alive and now hopefully able to thrive,” District Attorney Rollins said. “As District Attorney, as a mother and auntie, and as a licensed emergency foster care provider, my focus immediately went to the safety and wellbeing of this newborn. I had the opportunity to briefly visit the baby on Saturday and was so happy to see nurses pampering, spoiling, and singing to, feeding and generally pouring love and affection into this beautiful child. Today we arraigned Ms. Merisier. Although some may not be able to imagine the amount of pain, fear, disassociation, or mental anguish one must be experiencing to engage in the behavior we alleged she did, it is very real. And it is important that parents know that if they are feeling overwhelmed or scared there are resources available to them. If parents are unprepared or unable to care for a child, they can legally surrender a newborn up to seven (7) days old under the Safe Haven Act. This situation did not have to happen. But we need to make sure that parents of newborns know they have options if they feel hopeless, depressed, an inability to bond, or are having thoughts of harm to themselves or the child. Nobody should ever suffer in silence, but no harm should ever come to any child either.”
Since 2004, the Safe Haven Act of Massachusetts has allowed a parent to legally surrender newborn infants seven (7) days old or younger at any hospital, police station, or open and staffed fire station without fear of facing criminal prosecution. In addition, services are always available to help new, and all, parents: The Parental Stress Line, 1-800-632-8188 is staffed 24/7 in all languages and the National Safe Haven Alliance has a 24/7 crisis line at 888-510-BABY.
Witnesses of any crime should call 911 in an emergency. Anyone who believes that a child in Massachusetts may be the victim of abuse or neglect can also call the Department of Children and Families’ Child at Risk Hotline at 1-800-792-5200.
Ms. Merisier is represented by Attorney Cristina Rodrigues. The case returns to court on March 29, 2021.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 25,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.