Newborn baby found dead in portable bathroom at Michigan music festival

Organizers of the four-day Electric Forest festival are appealing for attendees to come forward with information

A newborn baby was found dead in a portable bathroom at a Michigan dance music festival on Sunday, and organizers are now appealing for festivalgoers to come forward with information.

“It causes us so much pain to have to share this difficult news with you,” Electric Forest festival organizers wrote online on Sunday night. Saying the organizers were “heartbroken”, the statement added: “Michigan state police continues to investigate this tragic event, if you can assist in any way.”

Michigan state police said in a separate statement said the body of a “neonate” – which is a newborn infant who is four weeks old or younger – was found in a portable bathroom in the camping area of the festival. An employee of the portable bathroom vendor working with the vendor found the newborn during routine maintenance.

“If you were in the area and observed anything unusual, or if you have information that you believe may be relevant, we encourage you to come forward,” the Michigan state police statement said.

The statement also said: “We appreciate the public’s cooperation and ask that people avoid speculation on social media out of respect for the investigation and those affected.”

The four-day festival shut down on Sunday night, hours earlier than anticipated. Organizers attributed the shutdown to severe weather and resumed the event into early Monday.

The festival, which blends a Robin Hood-Sherwood Forest vibe with psychedelic and dance music, has been otherwise successful, according to the western Michigan music scene publication Locals Spins .