MA Patch's Top Stories of 2015

A mother and her boyfriend are charged months after an unidentified toddler is found dead on a beach. A former cop prompts a massive manhunt after fabricating a shooting. A suspect is killed after a shootout with police at a school.

But it wasn’t all murder and mayhem that highlighted 2015. Massachusetts saw more than its fair share of snow, sharks invaded the waters around the commonwealth, and a group of pee-wee football players reminded everyone that sometimes, you just have to have a good time. Take a look back at the year that was, as Patch highlights some of the top stories of the year.

Mother, Boyfriend Charged in Death of Baby Doe

• “Baby Doe,” the child found dead on a Deer Island beach back in June, was murdered, and her mother’s boyfriend is charged with the crime, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley.

Shots Fired, Suspect Dead Following Incident at Salter School

• A suspect stabbed a man and a woman at the Salter School in Tewksbury Tuesday morning then was killed in a gunfight with two police officers.

Former Cop Who Fabricated Shooting Story Found Dead

• The former Millis police officer who allegedly fabricated a story about being shot at and was also facing charges for threatening to bomb a school was found dead in his home.

Missing Teen’s Body Found at Rockingham Park

• Police found the missing juvenile, a male teenager, passed away in an abandoned building on the property of the Rockingham Park racetrack.

Woburn Resident Accused of Beating, Dumping Woman in Swamp

• Two women, of Woburn and Burlington, have been indicted on attempted murder charges after a badly beaten woman was pulled from a swamp in May.

Do You Find This Top ‘Inappropriate’ For Middle School?

• A Fuller Middle School seventh grade girl was singled out, by a male physical education teacher, for what he said was an “inappropriate” top to class

$6 Million Skimmed by Nick’s Roast Beef Owners, Says US Attorney

• Six million dollars would buy a lot of roast beef sandwiches. That’s how much money the US Attorney’s office in Boston said was skimmed in cash receipts by the owners of Nick’s Famous Roast Beef in Beverly.

Great White Shark Faces Off Against Tangled Humpback Whale, Rescuers Off Cape Cod

• The shark nearly made a meal out of the 35-foot humpback whale off the coast of Provincetown Saturday.

10 Unbelievable Photos of the Six Feet of Snow in Massachusetts

• Snow piles tower over people, puppies and cars. Here’s a few photos to put #Snowmageddon2015 in perspective.

Arlington Woman Allegedly Attacks Neighbor with Snow Blower

• A 61-year-old Arlington woman allegedly assaulted her 60-year-old female neighbor with a snow blower during a blizzard.

Surprise! Weymouth Woman Gives Birth Hour After Discovering Pregnancy

• A woman gave birth at South Shore Hospital an hour after being told that she was pregnant.

Map Shows Top 100 MA Communities for Ashley Madison Affairs

• The data collection identified a list of towns and the numbers of users in each community, but did not reveal names.

WATCH: Dancing Pee-Wee Football Players Whip, Nae Nae on the Field

• The Milford Mighty Mites were supposed to play a scrimmage at halftime of the varsity game last week, but something else happened.