TN TN - Cleveland, UnkWht, Infants, UP139218 & UP139223, two skeletal infants, suitcase in crawlspace, Feb'85

[lightofmine99]

Cleveland Baby Does (1985)
UP139223 & UP139218 (NU)​

Circumstances:
Two infant skeletal remains (UP139218 and UP139223) were found in the crawl space of a home in Cleveland, TN. The remains were found in a suitcase along with a white baby blanket, shredded newspaper, one large white garment, a bag, a towel, dry cleaning type of plastic bags, and a decaying cardboard shoebox. (Per NamUs).

Spoiler: CASE INFORMATION

Case Numbers:

• NamUs: UP139223 & UP139218
• Doe Network: N/A
• ME/C: 85-5 (for both)
• NCMEC: N/A

Overview:

• Location: Cleveland, Tennessee. (Bradley Co.)
• Date Body Found: February 24, 1985.
• NamUs Created: February 25, 2025.
• Tribal Land: NO
• PMI: N/A
• State of Remains: Not recognizable.
  • Near complete or complete skeleton
• Cause of Death: Unknown

Physical:

• Sex: Unknown
• Race/Ethnicity: White/Caucasian
• Age: Infant
• Height: Cannot Estimate
• Weight: Cannot Estimate
• Hair: Other
• Eye: Missing Eye

Identifiers:

• Dentals: UNKNOWN
• DNA: UNKNOWN
• Prints: UNKNOWN

Marks / Features:

• NONE

Personal Effects:

• Clothing:
  • one "large white garment"
• Jewelry: Unknown
• Add'l Items:
  • Suitcase
  • White baby blanket
  • Shredded newspaper
  • one "bag"
  • one "towel"
  • "dry cleaning type" of plastic bags (multiple)
  • decaying cardboard shoebox

Links:

• NamUs: UP139223 (ARCHIVE) UP139218 (ARCHIVE)
• Doe Network: N/A
• NCMEC: N/A

** This case is being investigated by the Cleveland Police Department.**​

 

[lightofmine99]

This case was entered into NamUs one day after the 40th anniversary of these Baby Does’ discovery.

• When was the house built?
• How old is the suitcase? Are there any manufacturing labels?
• Did any piece of the shredded newspaper contain a date?

 

[ChatteringBirds]

If they have DNA from the babies, they just may be able to solve this, IMO.

 

[MadMcGoo]

It seems like they may have been twins. There are several different scenarios that would fit these circumstances, IMO.

UP139223 & UP139218 Unidentified infants 1985 TN

Clipping found in The Leaf-Chronicle published in Clarksville, Tennessee on 3/1/1985. UP139223 & UP139218 Unidentified infants 1985 TN

www.newspapers.com

• Probably died in the 1960s.
• The newspaper was dated October 4, 1964.
• The plastic bag contained the name and number of a cleaning company located outside of Washington, D.C..
• The cleaning company confirmed the bags were used by them around 1964 and 1965, but hadn’t been used for the last 8-10 years.
• The fetuses were estimated to be between 8 and 9 months old. The one wrapped in the blanket was full term.
• Pieces of hair were found on the skulls.

UP139218 & UP139223 Unidentified infants 1985 TN

Clipping found in Bristol Herald Courier published in Bristol, Tennessee on 3/1/1985. UP139218 & UP139223 Unidentified infants 1985 TN

www.newspapers.com

• Cause of death could not be determined.

UP139218 & UP139223 Unidentified infants 1985 TN

Clipping found in Elizabethton Star published in Elizabethton, Tennessee on 4/3/1985. UP139218 & UP139223 Unidentified infants 1985 TN

www.newspapers.com

• The suitcase was locked.
• DOD estimated to be between 1964 and 1970.
• No signs of trauma were found on the remains.
• Dwelling describes as a one-story frame rental house.

UP139218 & UP139223 Unidentified infants 1985 TN

Clipping found in The Commercial Appeal published in Memphis, Tennessee on 3/1/1985. UP139218 & UP139223 Unidentified infants 1985 TN

www.newspapers.com

• At least one of the fetuses died at birth, and the other is of similar age.

UP139223 & UP139218 Unidentified infants 1985 TN

Clipping found in The Daily News-Journal published in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on 12/26/1985. UP139223 & UP139218 Unidentified infants 1985 TN

www.newspapers.com

• Black suitcase.
• A woman’s housecoat.