Our Lady of Victory 4th Degree Assembly 0670 at 775 Washington Road, Parlin, NJ 08859 US - Fetus Found In Treatment Plant Buried

SAYREVILLE — A funeral was held for the 19-week-old fetus found in the screening machine at the Sayreville pumping station last week.

The graveside service was organized by Janice O'Brien, the wife of Mayor Kennedy O'Brien, after she read a story about the baby in the newspaper.

"I want the mother of this child to know that someone took care of her baby," O'Brien said. "I couldn't stand the thought of this little boy being flushed."

O'Brien worked with the Spezzi family — owners of three funeral homes — and the pastor of her church, Fr. Michael Krull of Our Lady of Victories R.C. Church in Sayreville, to put together the funeral.

O'Brien and others named the baby John Paul, in honor of the late pope. The baby will be buried with a satin christening blanket with an embroidered cross and a baby's rosary.

"I didn't want to take any chance that this baby would be treated as medical waste," O'Brien said. "I couldn't let that happen. This was a 5-month-old baby — he deserves better."

The male baby was found with the umbilical cord attached Wednesday evening by an employee of the pumping station on Canal Street. Police believe the baby was discarded no more than 6 hours prior to when it was discovered.

An autopsy conducted by the Middlesex County Medical Examiner found no trauma to the baby. Police believe it was discarded no more than six hours prior to when it was discovered.

The mother of the baby has not been identified.

The baby was buried at 3 p.m. Monday afternoon in front of the statue of the “Pieta” at the entrance to the cemetery, rather than on a little hill reserved for infants at the New Cavalry Cemetery on Washington Road.