Police in St Louis are currently investigating the suspicious death of a baby.
I can't imagine how Adam Smith must be feeling. The 37 year old moved into his mother's apartment to help her out after she was diagnosed with cancer. She had lived on the 6000 block of Magnolia for a number of years.
Unfortunately Adam's mother passed away last week. He had begun to sort through her belongings when he made a gruesome discovery. When sorting through the freezer, he saw a box.
"I'm 37 and it has been in my freezer for 37 years and I was always told it was a wedding cake top," Smith told KSDK News.
Thinking it was the wedding cake or maybe even some cash in the strange box he opened it, but what he found was not was he expected.
"It turns out it was a baby," Smith said.
He told KSDK News the frozen baby was wrapped in a pink fleece.
"It still had skin hair and everything it was mummified," he said. "After that, I freaked out, put it in the box and called police right away."
You don't always think to look in a box. That is not the kind of thing that people keep in such a place. It seems his mother was reluctant to discuss the box and generally was a secretive person.
"I've asked her several times, it was either a no-no conversation or blew me off. My mom has always been secretive about things about life," he said.
Smith does recollect that his mother had mentioned a sibling that had passed away before his birth.
"We're saying 46 or 47. That's how long, I'm assuming it is my sister, been in a box in a freezer for this long".
This can't be easy for him. He lost his mother and has now uncovered a mystery he may never solve. I'm sure it will take time to fully absorb what happened and in the meantime, he is left with questions he may not get answers to.
"I'm more confused, angry," he said. "I just want to find closure, I want to find more answers."
Police said this is still an active investigation.
Anyone with information is urged to call the homicide division directly at 314-444-5371 or contact CrimeStoppers at 866-371-8477.