Baby Hope Remains Identified And Suspect Arrested For 1991 Homicide

Original Baby Hope investigators Chief Reznick (navy) and retired Detective Jerry Giorgio with Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly announced the arrest of Conrado Juarez for the Baby Hope homicide case . Photo courtesy of NYPD

DNA and tip led to her killer after 22 years.

By H. Nelson Goodson

October 12, 2013

Bronx, New York - New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly announced that Conrado Juarez, 52, was arrested on Saturday in Manhattan for the 1991 brutal homicide of Anjelica Castillo, 4, whose nude body was found inside a cooler along the Henry Hudson Parkway on July 23, 1991. Castillo was buried as Baby Hope 22 years ago.

"Public outreach, forensic investigation and old-fashioned pavement pounding led detectives to Juarez," said Police Commissioner Kelly, who was joined by the original case detective Jerry Giorgio (retired) and Chief Joseph Reznick, then a lieutenant who delivered Baby Hope's eulogy.

Her remains were identified through DNA last week, which identified her mother. A tip from a woman who says, another woman had told her that Baby Hope was her sister. She called police and the tip led police to do a DNA test on Castillo's mother and solving the Baby Hope cold case.

Castillo's mother was out of the country at the time when the child disappeared. Her two daughters including Castillo was left in the care of her father and a relative. One daughter later came back to the mother and Castillo went missing, according to police. 

The mother told police that she kept quiet for many years because she was afraid of her husband. The father is now being sought by police for questioning.

Juarez who is Castillo's cousin confessed that he murdered Castillo after sexually assaulting her and smothering her.

Her body showed signs of sexual abuse, malnourished and being beaten while bound when she was found. Juarez's sister, Balbema Ramirez of Astoria, Queens was also implicated in the homicide. She took care of Castillo. 

Juarez met Castillo through his sister who is now decreased. Ramirez came up with the idea to put Castillo in a mini-cooler and then disposed of it, according Juarez.

They took a cab and then got rid of the cooler near the Hudson river.

Conrado Juarez arraigned in a Manhattan Criminal Court on Saturday.