Michigan State Police are investigating the death of a newborn found in a portable restroom at the Electric Forest music festival in Rothbury, Michigan. Authorities discovered the infant on June 22, 2024, after festival staff reported the discovery to on-site law enforcement. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death remains ongoing.
Discovery at Electric Forest
On the morning of June 22, 2024, Michigan State Police were alerted to the presence of a newborn in a portable toilet at the Electric Forest festival grounds. The festival, an annual electronic music event held at the Double JJ Resort in Oceana County, attracts tens of thousands of attendees. According to official statements from the [Michigan State Police](https://www.michigan.gov/msp), officers arrived at the scene shortly after the report to secure the area and begin a forensic examination of the site.
Current Status of the Investigation
The Michigan State Police Seventh District is leading the inquiry into the incident. As of the most recent updates, investigators are working to identify the mother and determine the cause of death. State police have requested that anyone with information regarding the event contact the Hart Post or provide tips through the [official state reporting channels](https://www.michigan.gov/msp/divisions/tipline).
The festival organizers, Insomniac Events and Madison House, have cooperated with local authorities throughout the weekend. The event continued operations following the initial police response, though the specific area where the discovery was made remained restricted during the active investigation.
Legal and Forensic Procedures
In cases involving the death of an infant, Michigan law mandates a thorough forensic autopsy to establish the cause and manner of death. This process is conducted by the medical examiner’s office to determine whether the death was the result of natural causes or if criminal activity occurred.
Under the Michigan Safe Delivery of Newborns Law, parents are permitted to surrender an unharmed newborn to an emergency service provider—such as a hospital, fire station, or police station—without fear of prosecution. This statute is designed to provide a legal alternative to abandonment. Investigators will likely examine whether these existing legal protections were accessible or utilized in the lead-up to this incident as part of their broader fact-finding mission.
What Happens Next
The investigation is currently in the evidence-gathering phase. Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage from the festival grounds and interviewing potential witnesses who may have been in the vicinity of the portable restrooms on the morning of June 22. Because the festival hosts a large transient population, authorities are relying on public assistance to piece together a timeline of events.
Updates regarding potential charges or further findings will be released by the Michigan State Police as the forensic results and witness interviews are processed.
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