Mother Charged of Murder for the Death of Newborn Twins 17 Years Ago

Antoinette Briley from Holland, Michigan was taken into custody last Thursday for the killings of her new born sons 17 years ago. The bodies of the newborn twins was noticed in the front lift bucket of a garbage truck by a waste management employee. Findings of the autopsy concludes that the babies died due to asphyxiation. In 2018, the investigators used the latest developments in genetic genealogy to identify the twins biological mother. Briley admitted her involvement to the crime.

NBC News: Briley admitted to her involvement in the birth death, disposal of the two infants during an interview with detectives.

Screenshot from NBC News

NBC News reports that according to public safety chief Leo Schmitz, Antoinette Briley, of Holland, Michigan, was taken into custody Thursday night after a traffic stop in Oak Lawn, about 17 miles southwest of downtown Chicago, for killings of her twin newborn sons, 17 years after their bodies were found in an Illinois garbage truck.

An autopsy concluded that the babies had been asphyxiated.

Schmitz told reporters that detectives with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office used genetic genealogy to track down the babies’ mother.

Investigators identified Briley as the newborns’ mother and obtained DNA from her “discarded items” in Michigan.

Detroit Free Press: A subsequent autopsy determined the victims were born alive and died of asphyxiation, and the deaths were ruled homicides

Screenshot from Detroit Free Press

According to Detroit Free Press, Antoinette Briley, 41, of Holland, Michigan, was charged Friday with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of her sons.

A subsequent autopsy determined the victims were born alive and died of asphyxiation, and the deaths were ruled homicides.

Investigators in 2018 utilized DNA from evidence recovered from the scene in an effort to identify the birth mother using the latest developments in genetic genealogy, police said.

Detectives travelled to Holland, Michigan, and obtained a discarded cigarette containing Briley’s DNA, which was matched to the DNA from the victims.