Shraman Mitra
Authorities were utterly shocked when a plastic bag carrying the body of a toddler washed up on the shores of Deer Island in Winthrop, Massachusetts. Although the victim remained unidentified for a few months, the police eventually learned that the baby was Boston, Massachusetts, resident Bella Bond. A&E’s ‘City Confidential’ takes the viewer through the horrifying murder and follows the investigation that brought the perpetrator to justice.
How Did Bella Bond Die?
A resident of Boston, Massachusetts, Bella Bond was just two at the time of her death. Although she was born to Joseph Amoroso and Rachelle Bond, sources insist that her biological father never met her in person. Soon after Bella’s birth, her mother found a new boyfriend, and they all moved in together into a Boston apartment when the toddler was one. While neighbors described the trio as a typical American family, they claimed that Rachelle and her then-boyfriend could not keep the child happy.
In fact, it was pretty common to hear the two-year-old cry, and there were allegations about the couple being involved in drug abuse. However, with the accusations unsubstantiated, nothing appeared out of the ordinary, and Bella’s death was a bolt from the blue. Although it is unclear when the toddler was killed, a woman walking her dog on Winthrop’s Deer Island found her body inside a plastic bag that had washed up on the shore on June 25, 2015.
Investigators also found a pair of polka-dotted pants and a zebra-print blanket beside the toddler’s body. Yet, an initial medical investigation could not find a reasonable cause of death. Eventually, an autopsy insisted that there was no indication of external trauma, and Bella probably died due to strangulation or a heart attack.
Convicted Killer: Michael McCarthy Sentenced for Bella’s Death
Incidentally, Bella remained unidentified for three months as the police conducted several interviews and even broadcasted her picture on television, asking the public for help. This led to hundreds of tips, yet most seemingly led to dead ends. Reports mention that in the initial months of the investigation, detectives followed multiple leads but could not identify the toddler. Nevertheless, authorities received a breakthrough in September 2015 when Michael Sprinsky approached the police and informed them that Rachelle Bond and her then-boyfriend, Michael McCarthy, had conspired to kill Bella.
With Bella identified, the police looked into Rachelle and Michael’s life only to learn they were both admitted drug abusers. On top of that, reports mentioned that Michael had a lengthy criminal record and was very capable of homicide. When questioned, Michael claimed he had not harmed Bella or conspired to kill her. He even insisted on his innocence and stated that he would never have hurt a hair on the toddler’s head. Albeit, once detectives learned that Michael believed in the occult, they zeroed in on him as a suspect and offered Rachelle a plea deal if she testified against her then-boyfriend.
Subsequently, Rachelle admitted to investigators that on the day of Bella’s murder, Michael accused the toddler of being a demon before punching her in the stomach. While the mother of one insisted that the child died after being hit, she claimed they hid her body inside the refrigerator before driving to Boston Harbor to dump the remains inside the water. Surprisingly, Rachelle’s statement did not match forensic reports as medical examiners found no evidence which would suggest that Bella was beaten to death.
On top of that, investigators did a forensic sweep of the refrigerator and Rachelle’s car but found no evidence of human remains. Still, investigators decided to proceed with their case and arrested Michael McCarthy for his role in the crime. When presented in court, he pled not guilty to the charges against him and insisted on his innocence. Regardless, the jury convicted him of second-degree murder and sentenced him to 20 years to life in prison in 2017. Meanwhile, Rachelle pled guilty to a charge each of larceny and accessory after the fact to murder in February 2017.
However, the judge considered the time Rachelle had already spent behind bars and sentenced her to two years of probation. Incidentally, readers should note that Michael insists on his innocence to this day and has been petitioning to get his conviction overturned. But with his petitions turned down, he remains behind bars at the Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
