Baby May Have Been Born Alive Then Asphyxiated in 1992 Death

The remains of a baby, found in a cooler at the McHenry County Morgue in January, are at the heart of a criminal case against former McHenry County elected official, Marlene Lantz, the Chicago Tribune is reporting.

Lantz served as coroner for nearly 20 years before leaving office in 2012.

Lantz, 68, of McHenry, was charged in February with forgery and official misconduct. She appeared in court April 23.

Lantz is also accused of failing to properly dispose of the remains. Authorities also allege that Lantz signed a death certificate for the baby that falsely stated the boy had been buried and that the mother’s identity was unknown, the Tribune reported.

“According to the defense’s motion, Anne Majewski, who succeeded Lantz as coroner, met with the mother of the infant in January, and the mother indicated her preference “that the infant be cremated and the ashes be buried,” the Tribune reported. “Thus, the expressed wishes of the parent is that the child not be buried.”