For more than two years after her charred remains were found in a vacant burned-out home in Markham, Baby Jane Doe was the name attached to the child later identified as Ana Marie Townsend.
The infant’s mother, 40-year-old Melody Townsend, was recently charged with felony child endangerment and concealing or aiding a fugitive, according to authorities.
Firefighters discovered the baby’s charred remains July 3, 2017. The little girl’s body was concealed between rafters in an attic inside a vacant home in the 15400 block of Hamlin Avenue in Markham, according to authorities.
Authorities did not publicly identify the girl as Ana Marie Townsend until August 2019.
The Cook County medical examiner ruled the death a homicide. The cause of death was unspecified and an autopsy showed the baby had suffered abuse.
Andrew Holmes, a community activist who has closely followed the case and prodded Markham police to solve the child’s death, said the charges bring some relief.
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“In a way there’s relief and there’s no relief, you know,” Holmes said Tuesday. “I am hoping the charges will be upgraded.”
During a hearing Friday, bail was set at $20,000 for Townsend, according to authorities.
After the girl’s body was found, the medical examiner identified her as being between 9 months and 2 years old, with black hair and pierced ears.
She was found with a white Garanimals brand onesie with hot pink flowers, a dark blue onesie with white polka dots and red stitched trim, and black and white leopard print fleece pants with pink paw foot coverings and a cat face and ears on the seat of the pants, according to the medical examiner’s report of her death.
Holmes said he won’t be satisfied until charges directly connecting someone with the infant’s death are filed.
“There’s no justice for this child yet,” he said. “There ain’t no peace for this baby yet.”
mnolan@tribpub.com
