Anjelica Castillo, previously known as Baby Hope (April 24, 1987 - c. July 18, 1991), was a child found murdered in Queens, New York.
After being identified in 2013, her cousin confessed to sexually assaulting and murdering her. He died in custody in 2018.
Case[]
Discovery[]
On July 23, 1991, Castillo's decomposed and nude body was found inside a navy blue cooler alongside the Henry Hudson Parkway. She was bound with rope and Venetian blind cord, placed in a fetal position, and wrapped in a garbage bag. The cooler was filled with unopened soda cans and water.
The autopsy revealed that the victim was a toddler of possible Hispanic descent. She had been sexually assaulted and died about five days earlier. She was also malnourished, weighing only 28 pounds.
Two years after the initial discovery, a public funeral for the girl was held, where two hundred people attended.
Investigation[]
After the body was discovered, a witness told police she had seen a Hispanic man and woman carrying a cooler a few days earlier, around the time when the girl was believed to be murdered.
In the fall of 1991, graphic photos of a naked child were found in New Jersey. It is believed this was Baby Hope due to the similar characteristics of the victim and the girl in the photo.
The body was exhumed in 2006 and 2011 to obtain DNA information.
Identification[]
In 2013, the case was reopened, and authorities requested information from the public. A tip came in from a woman who said that a few years earlier, she overheard a mother discussing her daughter's disappearance with someone else. This tip led them to Margarita Castillo. Baby Hope was confirmed as her missing daughter, Anjelica Castillo, after DNA comparisons.
After identifying Anjelica and her family, it was initially thought that her abusive father had been involved in her death. However, further investigation brought authorities to her paternal cousin, 52-year-old Conrado Juarez and his deceased sister. After being interrogated, he confessed to murdering Anjelica, although he later recanted and said his confession was coerced. He was charged with second-degree murder and died in police custody on November 18, 2018, from pancreatic cancer.
Characteristics[]
- Wavy, dark hair in a ponytail.
Gallery[]
Media[]
- Her case was detailed on America's Most Wanted in 2006.
- Her case was mentioned in the third episode of Serial Killer with Piers Morgan when an unrelated span of killings was detailed.
Sources[]
- New York Post
- Article #1 (10/10/13)
- Article #2 (10/14/13)
- Article #3 (11/19/18)
- Article #4 (3/30/20)
- CNN
- DNA Info
- The Bronx Free Press
- New York Daily News
- ABC
- NBC
- Anjelica Castillo at Find a Grave
- Anjelica Castillo on Wikipedia
- America's Most Wanted (archived)