Baby boy found dead near river bank in March remains unidentified

The baby boy found dead near the river bank along Melton Lake Greenway in March remains unidentified, and the Oak Ridge Police Department is offering a $1,500 reward for information about the boy.

The Oak Ridge Police Department has named the baby boy “Wyatt,” which authorities have said means “little warrior.”

Oak Ridge Police Chief Robin Smith has pledged $500 of the $1,500 reward being offered by the police department for information about the boy.

The ORPD has received $950 in community donations to use for a memorial for baby Wyatt. ORPD officers and the Oak Ridge Fire Department set up a memorial in baby Wyatt’s name near a parking area along the Clinch River at Edgemoor Road in April.

The baby boy’s body was found near the river bank just north of the Edgemoor Road bridge on Thursday, March 26. The boy’s umbilical cord was still attached before he was placed in the water, Smith said in a Facebook video in April. A piece of clothing was with Wyatt, although it’s not being described for investigative reasons.

Wyatt’s race has not been determined. Police officers have not been able to tell from his physical appearance. DNA samples were taken by the medical examiner, and the ORPD is still waiting for results.

ORPD investigators have asked for tips and information that could help identify Wyatt.

Local residents have offered to pay for all of Wyatt’s funeral expenses. But Wyatt can’t be buried and put to rest until he is identified, Smith said earlier this year.

If you have information to share with the ORPD, you can contact the Oak Ridge Police Department by phone at (865) 425-4399, by email at PoliceTips@OakRidgeTN.gov, on Facebook at OakRidgePoliceDepartment, on Twitter at OakRidgePolice, or at the Oak Ridge Police Department website at http://oakridgetn.gov/department/ORPD/Home. Information can be given anonymously.