Mystery Around Mummified Babies Found in Trunk Persists Even as Owner of Trunk ID'd

LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) The owner of the trunk in which the mummified corpses of two babies were found inside leather doctor's bags in the basement of a Los Angeles apartment building has been positively identified - but the mystery of her life and how the babies got in the bags continues to confound.

Janet M. Barrie was the owner of the trunk, and she lived for over 30 years in the Glen-Donald apartment building, where the trunk was found on August 17. Investigators were able to determine through letters found in the trunk and public records that Barrie worked for dentist George Knapp and his wife, Mary Downs, as a private nurse from the 1930's until 1964 when Mary Downs Knapp died of breast cancer.

A few months later Barrie and George Knapp were married and lived together in the Glen-Donald apartment until George Knapp died in 1968. Barrie moved to Canada following his death and lived there until 1994 when she died.

Barrie's body was then transported to Los Angeles and her remains were interred in the same vault as Dr. and Mrs. Knapp. All three names are inscribed on a single gold vault in the Forest Lawn Memorial-Park.

Investigators are trying to determine who the babies belonged to; one theory being floated is that Barrie had children with Knapp, but they did not survive or were aborted. They have made contact with Barrie's nieces and nephews who have agreed to submit DNA samples.

Another theory is that in her profession as a nurse she helped deliver the babies in the apartment building, but they died. In the 1930's the Glen-Donald was reportedly an upscale apartment building popular with single professional women because of its security.

The coroner's office has not released a cause of death for the babies but have said there are no outward signs of trauma. But Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck said it was important to continue investing resources into the case, even though it was three-quarters of a century old, because it could turn out the babies were homicide victims.

"Justice, even when delayed, is still justice," Beck said. "Even when you have no one to speak for you, we will speak for you."

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