Teen charged with murder after newborn found in cooler along roadside
TROUP COUNTY, Ga. - More than a year after a newborn's body was found on the side of the road inside a cooler, authorities say they have made an arrest in the case.
Authorities discovered the body in January 2019 on Boy Scout Road in Troup County. The sheriff's office says a break in the case came after a genetic match identified a possible mother of the newborn.
On Thursday, investigators say they arrested Caroline Riley Propes, 19, of Newnan and charged her with murder in the 2nd degree.
Caroline Riley Propes, 19, of Newnan (Source: Troup County Sheriff's Office).
“From the moment this case was opened, I and my team of investigators were determined to bring this case to a conclusion. I cannot thank them enough for their determination to close a case that touched many people and were it not for the work of DNA Solutions and Innovative Forensic DNA, LLC, this case may not have been solved. We greatly appreciate their assistance”. Sheriff James Woodruff
The baby's DNA was sent off for analysis. Investigators say a genetic genealogy research led them to Propes being the biological mother of the baby.