Massachusetts State Police confirmed they were executing a new search warrant in the investigation into the death of Bella Bond, formerly known as “Baby Doe.”
A refrigerator and a mattress were among the items police removed from Rachelle Bond's home Wednesday as they investigated the murder of her daughter, Bella Bond, a police source said.
"I just saw four detectives carry the refrigerator out and put it on the gray truck," echoed local maintenance man Melvin Smith. "They had to tie it down. They had gloves on."
State police would only officially confirm they executed a new search warrant at the home of the 2-year-old long known as "Baby Doe" on Maxwell Street in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood.
Smith described the refrigerator as "white, about 22 cubic inches, kind of large." He said he felt "sad" that the child's body was allegedly stored in it.
Prosecutors allege that Bella was punched to death in her bedroom by her mother's 40-year-old boyfriend, Michael McCarthy, who had said he would go in to calm down the young girl. Bond told police Bella was fussy and did not want to go to bed.
According to prosecutors, Bond said McCarthy "was a demon anyway," and that "it was her time to die."
Bella's lifeless body, prosecutors say, was put in a plastic bag and stuffed in a refrigerator, where it was left until McCarthy put it in a duffel bag and dumped it into Boston Harbor.
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Her body was found on the shore of Deer Island in June.
McCarthy is charged with the murder. He was denied bail Monday. Bond, charged as an accessory after the fact, was held on $1 million cash bail.
The arrests were made after the child was identified on Friday.
Neighbor Anthony Lovell says he only saw Bella outside playing once with McCarthy nearby, and says he became upset when a ball rolled in his direction.
"She had a stick in the grass and she was playing and the ball rolled over to him, and he kind of yelled at her, and that's all I can say about that," Lovell said.
