Mother sought after baby found dead in porta-potty at Michigan music festival

HART, Mich. ( WOOD ) — A Michigan man told a judge he considers himself a “net under the bridge” to ensure a proper burial for a baby girl found dead in a porta-potty at the Electric Forest Music Festival.

Travis Byrnes, of Ottawa County, testified in Oceana County Probate Court in Hart on Thursday, an early step in the Good Samaritan’s effort to secure a dignified burial for the infant.

The hearing comes as detectives make progress in their search for the baby’s mother, according to Oceana County prosecutor Joseph Bizon, who receives updates from Michigan State Police.

“Based on what we have accomplished so far in the investigation — I should say the detectives because they’re the ones doing the work — we are very confident we’ll be able to make an identification at some point,” Bizon told Nexstar WOOD. “We have every reason to believe the detectives are on the right path in getting to where we need to be.”

State Police have been tight-lipped about the investigation, but it’s likely that forensic genetic genealogy will play a role in identifying the infant’s parents, despite the FBI’s offer in mid-July of a $15,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

“This case is progressing in a positive path forward towards where we want to be,” said Bizon. “We do believe we’re going to be able to resolve this.”

It’s a painstaking process; genealogists build the infant’s family tree in reverse by comparing her DNA against millions of samples uploaded to ancestry websites by people tracing their roots who’ve agreed to allow police access.

“The detectives are very familiar with the technologies, the techniques that are being used,” Bizon continued. “They know what they’re doing, and they’re going to get this done.”

Bizon said there’s no way to predict how long the search will take.

The prosecutor spoke to WOOD outside Oceana County Probate Court, where a hearing was held Thursday to determine what will happen to the infant’s remains.

“This is such a unique situation,” explained Bizon. “There’s no real example of how to do this. It’s a first for me.”

Bizon will decide any criminal charges once state police identify whoever was responsible for discarding the baby girl in a portable toilet in the Good Life camping area of the Electric Forest Music Festival in Rothbury.

A cleaning crew for the porta potty vendor made the discovery in the early morning hours of the final day of the festival, which is held annually on the grounds of the Double J Resort about an hour northwest of Grand Rapids.

The placenta and umbilical were still present, and an autopsy determined the baby lived for just one minute, according to a death certificate filed with the Oceana County Clerk.

“This is a unique and tragic petition,” said Probate Court Judge Eric Fox as the hearing began.

Fox listened to testimony regarding an Ottawa County man’s efforts to secure the release of the baby’s remains to ensure she receives a dignified burial.

Travis Byrnes, himself the father of two young girls, was devastated when he learned of the June 28 discovery at Electric Forest.

“It is absolutely my position that I am a net under the bridge,” Byrnes told the judge, appearing in the Hart courtroom by Zoom. “It would be my hope there would be family found that could take care of this child in a proper way.”

Byrnes was responding to the judge’s concerns about relatives of the infant who are likely unaware she existed.

“There may be family members identified for this infant who may have an interest in a certain outcome,” explained Fox, referring to the baby’s burial. “They may have rituals and practices they’d like to observe. So, I’d like to know who the parents are before determining this is an unclaimed body. But I’m not prepared to make that decision yet.”

Byrnes told the judge he had enlisted the help of VanderLaan Funeral Home in Hudsonville, Michigan, and a Jenison-area church and cemetery for the service and interment.

“She would be buried in the Christian faith… here locally in Ottawa County,” Byrnes explained.

The judge’s primary concern, however, lay with how the baby’s burial might impact the police investigation.

“Let’s say you identify a mother and you file charges against her,” said Fox, directing his question to prosecutor Joseph Bizon. “Would she have any evidentiary interest to perform her own autopsy for example?”

“That’s why I’m stating to the Court that it’s necessary the child is not cremated,” Bizon responded.

Byrnes assured the court the remains would not be cremated.

“Whatever the court decides the prosecutor needs, the medical examiner, any stipulation, anything at all, absolutely,” Byrnes said, indicating he would follow their guidance.

Dr. Rudy Ochs, who’s served as Oceana County’s coroner for more than thirty years, told the judge the infant’s release would not jeopardize future evidentiary requirements.

Oceana County Undersheriff Ryan Schiller spoke on behalf of another group of Good Samaritans; a victim advocacy unit within the sheriff’s office has offered assistance.

“In the days just after this happened, victim services also offered to pay for these things and provide a headstone and burial at a local cemetery just west of Rothbury,” Schiller reported.

So far, Byrnes is the only one who has filed a formal request to help facilitate the child’s burial.

Judge Fox told WOOD that he expects to rule on Byrne’s petition soon.

“Mr Byrnes, first I want to say thank you for stepping up and offering to do this,” said the judge. “I see no other purpose (to Byrne’s petition) than being a Good Samaritan. For that, you should be commended.”

Prosecutor Bizon concurred when speaking with Wood after the hearing.

“To step up and put your name out there in a public way and say, ‘We’d like to take care of this.’ That’s commendable. I think we need more of this in this world,” said Bizon.

Byrnes, who’s not seeking the spotlight, intends to invite the community to participate in services and help shower the infant with the love and care investigators say she was denied in life.

He assured WOOD previously that he would let the public know once he’s secured details for the service and has a better idea what additional assistance, financial or otherwise, might be needed.