Pa. baby found in suitcase was homicide victim

ERIE, Pa. – Authorities say a baby girl found stuffed into a suitcase on a northwestern Pennsylvania street was a homicide victim.

Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook told the Erie Times-News on Wednesday that the child most likely died of "nutritional neglect."

The coroner's office hasn't released the girl's name because her identity hasn't been confirmed. DNA tests are planned.

Authorities say Erie firefighters responding to a home because of an unrelated fire Tuesday noticed a strong odor coming from a suitcase wrapped in a blanket. They opened the suitcase and immediately called police.

Neighbors told the paper that the suitcase had been spotted in a pile of garbage Monday but was washed down the street by heavy rains that night.

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Information from: Erie Times-News, http://www.goerie.com