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FBI Offers $15K Reward for Newborn Death at Michigan Festival

7/14/2026

Summary

FBI Offers Reward

The FBI offers a $15,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of person(s) responsible for the newborn’s death at Electric Forest in Rothbury, Michigan.
Michigan State Police say a cleaning-company employee discovered the infant’s body inside a portable toilet on June 28, with an autopsy finding the infant was viable.
Investigators have made no arrests, have not identified newborn’s parent(s), and cleared a woman after a tip.

Summary

Jackson Found Dead

Falana Scott told MLive she was 10 to 13 weeks pregnant at Electric Forest and later suffered a miscarriage, intensifying the false accusations.
Police found 28-year-old Jerard “Jay” Jackson’s body hours after friends reported him missing, finding no evidence of foul play.
Jackson’s car, with his wallet and keys, was found near the festival compound, prompting a friend’s plea that he may have experienced a mental-health crisis before wandering off.

Summary

Michigan Officials Evaluate

Michigan officials are evaluating a proposal to install newborn safe-haven boxes at venues after the Electric Forest tragedy.
The program would let parents leave infants anonymously without legal repercussions.
Lawmakers say funding could come from state grants and private partnerships, though details remain under discussion.
Child-welfare advocates cite similar boxes in other states as a rapid-implementation model.
The FBI tip line for the newborn case is 855-MICHTIP (855-642-4847).

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FBI Offers Reward

The FBI offers a $15,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of person(s) responsible for the newborn’s death at Electric Forest in Rothbury, Michigan.
Michigan State Police say a cleaning-company employee discovered the infant’s body inside a portable toilet on June 28, with an autopsy finding the infant was viable.
Investigators have made no arrests, have not identified newborn’s parent(s), and cleared a woman after a tip.

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