The cold case of Baby Skylar, a newborn found dead at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in 2005, has taken a dark turn with new details emerging about the suspect. Annie Anderson, 51, was recently extradited to Arizona from Washington state to face charges including first-degree murder, child abuse, and abandonment or concealment of a dead body, according to ABC15.
Anderson, accused of the death of her newborn nearly 19 years ago, reportedly told police she gave birth in her hotel bathtub, and the baby was stillborn. However, documents obtained state that this account contradicted the medical examiner's finding of suffocation as the cause of death, according to a statement obtained by ABC15.
Further unsettling details from court documents say Anderson admitted to placing the baby in a backpack and disposing of it in a trash bin at the airport. She allegedly confessed to this act, knowing she "couldn't go through security..." with the child's remains, as revealed in the same court documents.
Investigative genetic genealogy played a crucial role in tracking down Anderson last year, bringing new momentum to what was a cold case for over a decade. Former cold case homicide detective Troy Hillman expressed relief at seeing the case progress, noting to ABC15, "It's exciting to see justice; it's taken a long time to finally be given to this little baby that never had a chance." Hillman, who once worked the case, said that the team never gave up on seeking justice for Baby Skylar.
As reported by Arizona's Family, Anderson landed in Arizona following an extradition process that lasted over three months. She now awaits prosecution by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. "In collaboration with MCAO and Phoenix Police, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office extradited the suspect, closing a nearly two-decade-old case that scarred our community," shared Sheriff Russ Skinner in a statement to Arizona's Family. Anderson is scheduled for her next court hearing on April 18.
