LI Woman Charged With Murder In Cold Case After Reportedly Leaving Her Infant On Side Of Road: Court Docs

RIVERHEAD, NY — A Riverhead woman has been arrested and accused of murder in a cold case dating back to 1993 — after reportedly abandoning her infant daughter on the side of the road, where the baby died, according to court documents and officials.

According to a Riverhead Town Justice Court representative, Denise Reischman Merker, 56, was arrested on February 2; she was charged with murder and arraigned on February 3 at Riverhead Town Justice Court, according to the representative.

The baby was initially found on September 25, 1993, court documents and Merker's attorney Edward Burke Jr. indicated. It was not initially clear what led to Merker's recent arrest.

Merker is next slated to appear before Judge Steven Pilewski in Suffolk County Criminal Court in Riverhead for an arraignment pursuant to an indictment, court records indicate and the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said.

Burke Jr. confirmed the murder charge and said it was in relation to the death of her infant daughter.

"This an extremely emotional case," he said.

A prior news report from 1993 indicated that the deceased newborn baby was found in a bag on Route 25 near Wading River-Manorville Road; Burke confirmed that the 1993 report was referring to the same case.