A killing of Baby Doe

An anencephalic infant died in the Neonatal Intensive Care unit six hours after birth. Eighteen months later, in a discussion of intrusive federal "Baby Doe" regulations with co-workers at the hospital, a registered nurse mentioned that he had found a way to avoid these provisions, and that he had in fact done so on one occasion by killing this particular infant. A co-worker related his story to police, and the "wheels of justice" were set into motion. I describe the chronology of events and the pathologic findings in this case of infanticide, purportedly committed "with mercyaforethought."