New Hampshire woman arrested, charged with second-degree murder after baby girl found dead in pond

Nearly a year after a newborn girl’s body was discovered floating in Pine Island Pond, authorities in New Hampshire have arrested her mother in connection with the infant’s death.Hepay Juma, 26, of Manchester, was taken into custody on Thursday, Feb. 26. The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, in a statement, said Juma has been charged with reckless second-degree murder in the death of Baby Jane “Grace” Doe, her child. The release described the circumstances as “manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of human life.”Authorities said the investigation into the case is ongoing and have not disclosed further details regarding the infant’s death or whether others may be involved. “The exact circumstances surrounding the incident remain under active investigation,” the release stated. Juma is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday, Feb. 27, in Manchester District Court.The baby, named Grace by local authorities to honour her brief life, was found in Pine Island Pond on March 27, 2025. Police had initially called for public assistance in identifying the newborn and determining how she came to be in the water.

At the time, officials described the infant simply as a “newborn baby.”In May 2025, with the child’s identity still unknown, volunteers and local authorities held a small funeral for Baby Grace, laying her to rest in a white coffin. Manchester Police Chief Peter Marr said last year, “The way she was discarded is heartbreaking, and it is important that we give her a proper farewell.”Pine Island Pond, a scenic area with walking trails and a playground, sits close to the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and has been the focus of community attention since the discovery of the infant.Authorities continue to appeal to anyone with information about the case to come forward.