Boston’s ‘Baby Doe’ remembered at Deer Island Vigil

On Monday 21^st September, a candlelight vigil was held to remember Boston’s Baby Doe, Bella Bond, as an innocent child who died a tragic death.

Hundreds of people gathered with lit candles on Deer Island in support of a tragedy that had gripped the entire nation ever since the remains of the 2 ½ year old girl’s body was found on the rocky shoreline of Deer Island three months ago.

The girl now identified as Bella Bond after a computer generated image went viral online, has led authorities to implicate the girl’s mother, Rachelle Bond and her boyfriend, Michael Patrick McCarthy. Rachelle Bond was arrested on Friday while her boyfriend McCarthy had been in the hospital recovering from a medical condition. Both were arranged to appear on Monday for court proceedings.

The computer generated image of the girl received immense traction on social media as the police sought the help of the public in identifying the name of the girl. The image was also plastered on numerous billboards throughout the Boston area that resulted in a number of tips. One of these tips eventually helped the police to identify the girl as 2 ½ year old Bella Bond in what appeared to be death from an act of crime.

David Conley, Suffolk County District Attorney, had earlier made the following comments on the case:

“Based on the facts and evidence developed thus far, we allege McCarthy caused Bella’s death, that he did so intentionally, that he and Bond took specific steps to keep Bella’s death a secret and avoid prosecution”

Father, Amoroso, finds about her daughter’s death

The biological father of the girl, Joseph Amoroso, 32, had come to Boston several weeks prior to the incident to meet his daughter for the first time.

After visiting the home of Bella Bond on Maxwell Street, Dorchester, he was at first told by Rachelle that Bella was in Cape Cod. However, by the end of the last week and after spending a day together, Amoroso was then told by Rachelle of the devastating news and that the person responsible for killing the girl was the mother’s 35 year-old boyfriend, McCarthy.

Rachelle told Amoroso that McCarthy killed their daughter for being convinced of her being possessed. The remains of Bella Bond were then dumped in a black plastic garbage bag on Deer Island’s rocky beach.

Court proceedings

The killer, Michael McCarthy, appeared in the Dorchester Municipal Court on Monday morning and looked as pale as a zombie. The girls’ mother also walked in looking very pale as well.

David Deakin then began explaining how the murder took place. He told that McCarthy, who had a heroin habit, entered Rachelle’s apartment and claimed he could see demons and ghosts.

Rachelle Bond spanked Bella, who was then locked in a closet by McCarthy. After ignoring many cries from Bella to let her out, McCarthy went to settle her down by killing her. When Rachelle entered to see the lifeless body of her daughter, McCarthy told her that she had been possessed and it was her time to die. Rachelle then helped him dump the body in a black plastic garbage bag.