Overview
- Nicole Pokrzywa, 36, and William Cosmen, 38, were arrested in Will County and charged with desecration of a corpse.
- Deputies say a tip led them to a Wilmington, Ill., property where the infant’s remains were found about 36 inches underground in an Old Style beer box wrapped in plastic and cloth.
- According to statements cited by the sheriff’s office, the baby was reportedly born in a toilet at a Manhattan, Ill., residence, an attempt was made to force the body down the drain with a plunger, and the body was left in the toilet overnight before being buried.
- A forensic pathologist estimated the child’s gestational age at 22 to 27 weeks, while police say Cosmen told investigators the baby weighed between five and seven pounds.
- Authorities allege the birth occurred in October 2024, the recovery happened in December 2025, and testing on the remains is ongoing with the possibility of additional charges.