A 40-year-old woman, Natalie Schram (formerly Natalie Borg), pleaded not guilty Thursday morning in a Lake County courtroom to multiple felony charges related to the concealment of her newborn son’s remains.
The remains were discovered over five years ago in a wooded area in the north suburban Riverwoods.
Schram, who now lives in Washington State, appeared before a Lake County judge. She was ordered to turn herself in to the police within the next 48 hours, but will then be permitted to return to Washington State under minimal conditions while awaiting trial. Schram and her husband left the courthouse without comment.
Five-Year Investigation
Riverwoods police announced Schram’s arrest this week, culminating a five-year-long investigation into the grim discovery.
The case began on May 5, 2020, when Lake County Water Department workers checking sewer lines in the 1800 block of Robinwood Lane made the initial report. Veteran Riverwoods detective David Martinovich described the scene to WGN-TV: workers discovered a suitcase on residential property and, upon opening it, saw what appeared to be human bones inside.
Police quickly confirmed the remains were those of a newborn infant. However, at the time, authorities could not determine the infant’s gender, cause of death, or link DNA to any suspects.
FBI Assistance Led to Arrest
The breakthrough came with extensive forensic work. Detective Martinovich noted that the FBI Quantico lab assisted in developing a DNA profile. This eventually led investigators to Schram, who police say previously lived near where the remains were found.
Schram was arrested in Washington State a couple of weeks ago and was later released on a $250,000 cash bond.
Felony Charges and Future
Schram faces several Class 4 felony charges, including:
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Concealment of death (two counts)
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Abuse of corpse
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Failure to report the death or disappearance of a child under 13
Each Class 4 felony carries a potential sentence of one to three years in prison.
The investigation is still ongoing. Detective Martinovich remains hopeful that additional information will come forward. “There’s a possibility other charges will be added, depending on where the investigation leads us,” he said, encouraging anyone with further details to call police at (224) 284-2332.
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