DA Hayden releases investigative report on babies found in South Boston apartment freezer

BOSTON, April 30, 2024 – Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden today released the final investigative report regarding four babies found in a freezer in an apartment in South Boston in November 2022 and announced that the investigation will result in no charges being filed.  

“This investigation, which is one of the most complex, unusual and perplexing that this office has ever encountered, is now complete. While we have some answers, there are many elements of this case that will likely never be answered,” Hayden said. 

“We will never know exactly where or when the four babies found in Alexis Aldamir’s apartment were born.  We will never know if the four babies were born alive, and we will never know exactly what happened to them.  We will never know how Alexis Aldamir concealed her pregnancies, or why she chose to do so,” he continued.  

Hayden thanked the Boston Police Department Homicide Unit and Crime Laboratory, the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Bode Technologies of Virginia (a DNA research firm) and prosecutors and investigators in his office for their work on the case.  

“All involved in this case did extraordinary work in the face of extraordinary challenges. Nearly every investigative avenue led to difficulties resulting from elapsed time, the passing of individuals with potentially relevant information, and other logistical factors. But all avenues were strenuously pursued and as a result we gathered all the facts we could,” he said.  

South Boston infants case report

On the afternoon of November 17, 2022, Boston police responded to 838 East Broadway in South Boston for a 911 call about a possible baby located inside a freezer.  The call was later updated to involve multiple babies.  The caller explained that he and his wife made the discovery while cleaning out his sister’s apartment.

That call began a comprehensive investigation involving the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, the Boston Police Department Homicide Unit and Crime Laboratory, and the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

In all, four babies were discovered that day. All were frozen solid. All were found in shoe boxes wrapped in tin foil. Two were male and two were female.

All of the babies were full term, which means they were determined to be between 37 and 40 weeks of gestational age. All four had their umbilical cords attached and the two females had their placentas attached.

DNA tests concluded that the babies were full siblings.

The medical examiner reported that there was no scientific method to determine how long the babies had been frozen. The autopsy found no signs of internal or external trauma and no evidence of obvious injuries. There were no signs of food, or milk, or formula inside the babies’ stomachs.

The medical examiner found the cause of death for all the babies to be “undetermined.”

The medical examiner’s office also reported that it could not definitively determine whether the babies had been born alive.

After the discovery of the babies, investigators began working to find answers to many questions surrounding the discovery of the frozen babies.

Investigators determined that the apartment was owned and occupied by Alexis Aldamir. Aldamir, 69, moved with her family from Maryland to Amherst in 1971, when she was almost 17 years old. She moved to Boston from Amherst around February 1979. Records show that Aldamir purchased the South Boston apartment in October 1983, and likely started living in the apartment as early as April 1982.

Investigators located Alexis Aldamir in a residential healthcare facility and eventually gained a court order to obtain a DNA sample.

The DNA results and subsequent analysis by Bode Technology (a Virginia-based DNA research firm) and the Boston Police Crime Laboratory led investigators to conclude that Alexis Aldamir is the mother of all four babies.

Investigators also found that Aldamir had worked for an accounting firm in Boston from March 1980 to October 2021.

Co-workers who spoke with investigators described Alexis Aldamir as a hard worker who rarely took vacations. They also said she was a heavy-set woman who had a penchant for wearing loose-fitting clothing regardless of the season. None of Aldamir’s co-workers knew her to be pregnant at any point.

Investigators eventually learned who the likely father of the babies was and that he had died in 2011. They secured an order in June 2023 to obtain his DNA, which after testing, revealed that he was indeed the father of all four babies found in Aldamir’s apartment.

Investigators also determined that Aldamir gave birth to a baby girl in April 1982. The birth certificate listed Alexis Aldamir as the mother but did not include the father’s name.

Investigators also found two parental rights surrender forms, one signed by Alexis Aldamir and the other signed by the individual determined to be the father of the four frozen babies.

Investigators found no other records of Aldamir giving birth.

To summarize, investigators determined that Alexis Aldamir had five children with the same man. They gave one of their children up for adoption. The other four were found in Aldamir’s apartment in November 2022.

With the mother and father of the South Boston babies determined, investigators’ next step was to consider whether any crimes surrounding the discovery of the frozen babies could be proved.

Here, investigators encountered several challenges.

First, to charge any homicide, there must be evidence that the victims were alive. There must also be a cause of death determined by the medical examiner.

In this case, investigators cannot prove that the babies were ever alive and they have no cause or manner of death.

Second, the autopsy found no signs of internal or external trauma to the babies and no evidence of obvious injuries.

Third, as the father is now deceased, he cannot not be charged with any crimes.

Lastly comes the question of Aldamir’s ability to stand trial.

In late 2022, investigators visited the healthcare facility where Aldamir now lives. They questioned her about the babies found in her apartment. Throughout the interview Aldamir appeared confused and demonstrated a lack of understanding about where she was and who she was speaking to. As a result, she was unable to provide investigators with any significant information.

To further assess Aldamir’s cognitive ability, investigators reviewed publicly available probate court records and spoke with a lawyer for Aldamir. The information obtained suggests strongly that Aldamir would be unlikely to stand trial.

A prosecutor’s office cannot ethically move forward with a case that, in good faith, it believes it cannot bring to trial. Here, based on the evidence obtained throughout the investigation, including the many unanswered questions about the cause of death of the four babies, prosecutors have made the determination that they will not be able to bring this case to trial. Therefore, this investigation will not result in criminal charges.

All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 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. 

James Borghesani, Chief of Communications