La. couple arrested 31 years after newborn found dead

JEFFERSON PARISH, La. (WVUE/Gray News) - The parents of an infant killed in 1992 were arrested after new DNA evidence surfaced with the help of advanced technology, the Louisiana State Police said.

Inga Johansen Carriere and Andrew K. Carriere II, both 50-year-olds from Louisiana, were arrested on charges of first-degree murder, the Louisiana State Police announced Thursday. They are believed to be the parents of an infant girl whose body was found April 17, 1992, in a garbage bag in Picayune, Mississippi.

A farmer discovered the baby’s body while feeding his animals when he pulled a trash bag from a dumpster behind a restaurant. The body, wrapped in a towel, was inside the bag with other items of trash, WVUE reports.

An autopsy revealed the baby was around three weeks premature and lived a few minutes before being smothered. The cause of death was determined to be perinatal asphyxia, and the case was classified as a homicide.

Though the Picayune Police Department investigated the infant’s death, collecting various pieces of evidence, the case ultimately went cold.

Nearly 30 years later, the case was reopened by Picayune Police in August 2021. Officials managed to track down where the baby was buried, thanks to tips from past officers.

A special agent with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation offered to help in the case, due to having a grant that would cover forensic genetic genealogy testing from evidence that was collected and preserved for over 29 years.

With advanced DNA technology, officials were able to identify the Carrieres as suspects.

Louisiana State Police assisted in the investigation, as the suspects were both living in the state. DNA samples were obtained from the Carrieres, and it was determined the crime took place in Louisiana.

Arrest warrants were issued for both suspects for first-degree murder. Inga Johansen Carriere was arrested Feb. 28, while Andrew Carriere was arrested Thursday. The two are also charged with desecration of a body.

The Carrieres are being held without bond at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Facility and await extradition to Mississippi upon their release from Louisiana.

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