Amy Grossberg and Brian Peterson
Encyclopedia
Amy S. Grossberg delivered a baby at a Comfort Inn
in Newark, Delaware, in November 1996, assisted only by her then-boyfriend Brian C. Peterson, who later threw the baby into a dumpster. In March 1998, Peterson pled guilty
to manslaughter
and served a two-year sentence
; on April 22, 1998, Grossberg agreed to a plea bargain
, and was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison
on July 9, 1998.
. Amy successfully hid the pregnancy
from her parents, wanting mostly to shield it from her mother. Grossberg wore baggy clothes and avoided her parents for the course of the nine months. In September, she enrolled as a freshman at the University of Delaware
, while Peterson enrolled at college in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
.
In November 1996, the eighteen-year-old's water broke
. Peterson drove the three hours from his college to hers, and checked them into the Comfort Inn in Newark, Delaware. Grossberg delivered the unnamed child on November 12. Conflicting stories have made the subsequent events a mystery to anyone except the couple, but Peterson and Grossberg claim they believed the infant to be stillborn
, wrapped him in a garbage bag, and disposed of him in a dumpster.
. After returning to school, Grossberg began to have severe seizures as a result of not having expelled the placenta
. She was taken to a hospital, and it was clear to the doctors that she had just given birth. Not long after, police officials and the hospital put the two incidents together. K-9
Police dogs found the body in the dumpster.
The couple’s initial claim that the child was stillborn was quickly rejected. An autopsy
indicated that the infant was delivered alive and that the cause of death was several head fractures
and Shaken Baby Syndrome
. The cause of the injuries was inconclusive. The D.A. announced that he would charge the couple with first degree murder and pursue the death penalty against them. Peterson and Grossberg, who at first seemed to remain a loving couple, turned on each other and each began blaming the other. In December 1996 they were indicted for the murder. Peterson stated emphatically that Grossberg told him to “get rid of it!”; Grossberg claimed that Peterson acted alone in putting the boy into the dumpster.
In March 1998, Peterson pled guilty
to manslaughter
in exchange for his testimony
against Grossberg at her trial
. In addition to his initial claims, he stated that he tried to get Amy to a hospital, but she refused. When Grossberg heard Peterson's statement in detail, she agreed to a plea bargain
, on April 22, 1998. She admitted to unintentionally causing the death of the infant and said that she and Peterson never planned to kill
the baby. A concern of attorneys for both defendants regarding going to trial was that the pictures of the baby's head would be displayed in court and lead to more severe penalties. (It was noted on Court TV that such pictures could not be shown on television.)
While Peterson was sentenced to two years, Grossberg was held to be more responsible and was sentenced to two-and-a-half years.
Not all forensic pathologists agree with the fact that the baby was born alive. Some feel that infant was likely stillborn or drew breath once or twice before dying. Bruising to a baby's head can also occur during birth, particularly if the mother is young, if the child is her first, and the mother has a small pelvis. The baby also had congenital abnormalities, increasing the likelihood of stillbirth.
, who covered the case for The Bergen Record
of Hackensack, New Jersey
for more than two years. The book was called Always in Our Hearts: The Story of Amy Grossberg, Brian Peterson, The Pregnancy they Hid and the Child they Killed. The book traces the story from their high school days in New Jersey through the pregnancy and secret delivery in the motel room, to the court hearings and ultimately the sentencing. Of the book, Kirkus Reviews
called it a "true crime page turner" and Booklist
said, "Teens will be drawn to this examination of a horrific crime committed by two bright college students."
Peterson and Grossberg's story was fictionalized by writer T. Coraghessan Boyle
in a story, "The Love of My Life", which appeared in his collection of short stories, After The Plague. After learning of the story in the media, Boyle became curious as to how a couple could commit such an act, and explored their points of view through a fictionalized account of the case, changing certain details such as the characters' names and the gender of the infant.
Law & Order
also devoted a story to this case. In the episode, the two teens are acquitted. Episodes of The Practice
and of Homicide: Life on the Street
also did episodes based on this case.
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in Newark, Delaware, in November 1996, assisted only by her then-boyfriend Brian C. Peterson, who later threw the baby into a dumpster. In March 1998, Peterson pled guilty
Guilt (law)
In criminal law, guilt is entirely externally defined by the state, or more generally a “court of law.” Being “guilty” of a criminal offense means that one has committed a violation of criminal law, or performed all the elements of the offense set out by a criminal statute...
to manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
and served a two-year sentence
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
; on April 22, 1998, Grossberg agreed to a plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
, and was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
on July 9, 1998.
Pregnancy and birth
Grossberg and Peterson dated while at Ramapo High School, growing up in the affluent suburb of Wyckoff, New JerseyWyckoff, New Jersey
Wyckoff is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 16,696. As of the 2000 Census, Wyckoff ranked 54th in 100 highest-income places in the United States...
. Amy successfully hid the pregnancy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
from her parents, wanting mostly to shield it from her mother. Grossberg wore baggy clothes and avoided her parents for the course of the nine months. In September, she enrolled as a freshman at the University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
, while Peterson enrolled at college in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg is a borough that is the county seat, part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, and the eponym for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. The town hosts visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park and has 3 institutions of higher learning: Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg College, and...
.
In November 1996, the eighteen-year-old's water broke
Amniotic sac
The amniotic sac is the sac in which the fetus develops in amniotes. It is a tough but thin transparent pair of membranes, which hold a developing embryo until shortly before birth. The inner membrane, the amnion, contains the amniotic fluid and the fetus. The outer membrane, the Chorion,...
. Peterson drove the three hours from his college to hers, and checked them into the Comfort Inn in Newark, Delaware. Grossberg delivered the unnamed child on November 12. Conflicting stories have made the subsequent events a mystery to anyone except the couple, but Peterson and Grossberg claim they believed the infant to be stillborn
Stillbirth
A stillbirth occurs when a fetus has died in the uterus. The Australian definition specifies that fetal death is termed a stillbirth after 20 weeks gestation or the fetus weighs more than . Once the fetus has died the mother still has contractions and remains undelivered. The term is often used in...
, wrapped him in a garbage bag, and disposed of him in a dumpster.
Investigation
The bloody sheets were discovered by a cleaning woman, who immediately contacted policePolice
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
. After returning to school, Grossberg began to have severe seizures as a result of not having expelled the placenta
Placenta
The placenta is an organ that connects the developing fetus to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas exchange via the mother's blood supply. "True" placentas are a defining characteristic of eutherian or "placental" mammals, but are also found in some snakes and...
. She was taken to a hospital, and it was clear to the doctors that she had just given birth. Not long after, police officials and the hospital put the two incidents together. K-9
Police dog
A police dog, often referred to as a "K-9 dog" in some areas , is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work...
Police dogs found the body in the dumpster.
The couple’s initial claim that the child was stillborn was quickly rejected. An autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
indicated that the infant was delivered alive and that the cause of death was several head fractures
Head injury
Head injury refers to trauma of the head. This may or may not include injury to the brain. However, the terms traumatic brain injury and head injury are often used interchangeably in medical literature....
and Shaken Baby Syndrome
Shaken baby syndrome
Shaken baby syndrome is a triad of medical symptoms: subdural hematoma, retinal hemorrhage, and brain swelling from which doctors, consistent with current medical understanding, infer child abuse caused by intentional shaking...
. The cause of the injuries was inconclusive. The D.A. announced that he would charge the couple with first degree murder and pursue the death penalty against them. Peterson and Grossberg, who at first seemed to remain a loving couple, turned on each other and each began blaming the other. In December 1996 they were indicted for the murder. Peterson stated emphatically that Grossberg told him to “get rid of it!”; Grossberg claimed that Peterson acted alone in putting the boy into the dumpster.
In March 1998, Peterson pled guilty
Guilt
Guilt is the state of being responsible for the commission of an offense. It is also a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes—accurately or not—that he or she has violated a moral standard, and bears significant responsibility for that...
to manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
in exchange for his testimony
Testimony
In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. All testimonies should be well thought out and truthful. It was the custom in Ancient Rome for the men to place their right hand on a Bible when taking an oath...
against Grossberg at her trial
Trial (law)
In law, a trial is when parties to a dispute come together to present information in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court...
. In addition to his initial claims, he stated that he tried to get Amy to a hospital, but she refused. When Grossberg heard Peterson's statement in detail, she agreed to a plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
, on April 22, 1998. She admitted to unintentionally causing the death of the infant and said that she and Peterson never planned to kill
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
the baby. A concern of attorneys for both defendants regarding going to trial was that the pictures of the baby's head would be displayed in court and lead to more severe penalties. (It was noted on Court TV that such pictures could not be shown on television.)
While Peterson was sentenced to two years, Grossberg was held to be more responsible and was sentenced to two-and-a-half years.
Not all forensic pathologists agree with the fact that the baby was born alive. Some feel that infant was likely stillborn or drew breath once or twice before dying. Bruising to a baby's head can also occur during birth, particularly if the mother is young, if the child is her first, and the mother has a small pelvis. The baby also had congenital abnormalities, increasing the likelihood of stillbirth.
Aftermath
Brian Peterson went on to get married and now lives in Florida. Amy Grossberg started a high end greeting card business with her parents.Media portrayals
These events were depicted in a non-fiction crime book by journalist Doug MostDoug Most
Doug Most was the editor of The Boston Globe Magazinefrom October 2003 until April of 2009. He was then promoted to a deputy Assistant Managing Editor post that puts him in charge of the paper's "soft" sections, including the magazine and the "g" section.-Career & Achievements:Most, who was born...
, who covered the case for The Bergen Record
The Record (Bergen County)
The Record is a newspaper in northern New Jersey. It has the second largest circulation of New Jersey's daily newspapers, behind The Star-Ledger. Owned by the Borg family since 1930, it is the flagship publication of the North Jersey Media Group. Stephen Borg is the publisher of The Record...
of Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
for more than two years. The book was called Always in Our Hearts: The Story of Amy Grossberg, Brian Peterson, The Pregnancy they Hid and the Child they Killed. The book traces the story from their high school days in New Jersey through the pregnancy and secret delivery in the motel room, to the court hearings and ultimately the sentencing. Of the book, Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus . Kirkus serves the book and literary trade sector, including libraries, publishers, literary and film agents, film and TV producers and booksellers. Kirkus Reviews is published on the first and 15th of each month...
called it a "true crime page turner" and Booklist
Booklist
Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online...
said, "Teens will be drawn to this examination of a horrific crime committed by two bright college students."
Peterson and Grossberg's story was fictionalized by writer T. Coraghessan Boyle
T. Coraghessan Boyle
Tom Coraghessan Boyle is a U.S. novelist and short story writer. Since the mid 1970s, he has published twelve novels and more than 100 short stories...
in a story, "The Love of My Life", which appeared in his collection of short stories, After The Plague. After learning of the story in the media, Boyle became curious as to how a couple could commit such an act, and explored their points of view through a fictionalized account of the case, changing certain details such as the characters' names and the gender of the infant.
Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
also devoted a story to this case. In the episode, the two teens are acquitted. Episodes of The Practice
The Practice
The Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
and of Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
also did episodes based on this case.
Sources
- http://courtpsychiatrist.com/pdf/Families%20Muder%20and%20Insanity.pdf
- Mortal Evidence: The Forensics Behind Nine Shocking Cases by Cyril Wecht, MD, JD