Woman accused of leaving her dead infant at outhouse in 1997 to stand trial

LANSING, Mich. (WPBN/WGTU) — A woman accused of putting her deceased infant into an outdoor toilet at an Upper Peninsula campground in 1997 will stand trial, a judge ruled.

On Friday, 92nd District Court Judge Beth Gibson issued an order for Nancy Gerwatowski, 60, to stand trial on the following charges:

• One count of open murder
• One count of involuntary manslaughter
• One count of concealing the death of an individual

In June 1997, the remains of a deceased infant were found inside of an outdoor toilet at the Garnet Lake Campground in Hudson Township.

"An autopsy at the time determined the decedent to have been a 'term or near-term infant' of a gestational age of 36-42 weeks," the Michigan Department of Attorney General said in a news release.

An investigation continued into the summer and autumn of 1997 but not witnesses or viable leads were developed.

The deceased infant came to be known as "Baby Garnet."

Gerwatowski was arrested in Pinedale, Wyoming, in 2022 after investigators used genetic genealogical tracing to conclude that she is the biological mother of "Baby Garnet."

"The State alleges Gerwatowski delivered the newborn alone at her Newberry home, during which Baby Garnet died due to asphyxiation, and that this death could have been prevented by medical intervention Gerwatowski did not seek," the attorney's office said. "She then, allegedly, concealed the deceased newborn in an outhouse at the campground in Hudson, more than 20 miles out of town."

If convicted of open murder, Gerwatowski faces a possible life sentence.

"Thanks to the incredible efforts of investigators across three decades, we are finally able to pursue justice for Baby Garnet more than 25 years after her tragic death," said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

"In 1997, genetics testing was nowhere near as sophisticated as it is today, and I am grateful for the work of detectives and responders on-scene to preserve vital evidence in this matter. Prosecutors in my office are able to bring about this long-delayed criminal trial because of twenty-seven years of sound police work, scientific advancement, evidence preservation, and diligent state and local detectives who never gave up on justice for this infant victim," Nessel said.

Gerwatowski will appear before the 11th Circuit Court in Mackinac County at a date that has not yet been set.

She has been released on bond with a GPS tether.