Annual Tyrone march for nameless, baby girl found dead in 1987 to happen Sunday

TYRONE, Pa. (WJAC) — An annual tradition in Tyrone is to march for the life of an dead baby girl found over 30 years ago. This Sunday, they'll do that again.

6 News spoke with those involved in the march and about the legacy she leaves.

February 1987 in Antis Township, a baby girl is found dead in a plastic bag, next to a dumpster.

Over three decades later, nobody knows her name or who she is — even after DNA testing. Every year, though, the people of Tyrone march a mile to a grave marked "Baby Agnes Doe".

"Agnes is the patron saint of little girls within the Catholic Church," explained Tom Gavazzi, a past grand knight of the Knights of Columbus St. Gregory's Council #1218. "And so, we named her Agnes Doe, and she's unknown to no one but the good Lord."

Then the Knights of Columbus at Tyrone's St. Matthew's Catholic Church chose to become her patrons, with current Grand Knight Jack Wagner telling 6 News they "decided that the baby needed a proper burial."

"So, we adopted the baby, our council did, and brought her back here."

Each year, the Knights hold their "Every Life Matters March" around the date of the national March for Life in Washington, DC.

But Gavazzi mentioned to us: "We kind of spin it a different way. It's to respect life, not as an infant and at the beginning of life, but to remember the forgotten, the widowed, those that are alone, and that life should be respected [from] beginning to end."

He added that "it's moving to me to see people coming out to do this, and usually in miserable conditions."

The Knights saying about two to three hundred people turn out each year, coming from all parts of our region.

"We have prayer service at the church. We march. We have a small prayer service here, that brings up that item," said Gavazzi. "It's a reunion every year."

Baby Agnes Doe's family may not have been Catholic, but the Knights say that doesn't stop them from marching on, year after year. In fact, it motivates them.

Wagner saying it "doesn't matter if you're, what faith you are or where you come from, what your background is. You know, every life matters. God created every person that we believe that steps foot on this earth."

Gavazzi adding that there's "a steal within the will of the people to sit down and say, 'This is the right thing to do.' And... and it happens."

"This poor baby that died, we remember her every year. But here we have people that are aged and ancient. ...We have Civil War veterans here. So, let's remember, they're not all forgotten."

The march will begin at St. Matthew's Catholic Church after Sunday's prayer service beginning at 12pm. After the march and a service at the cemetery, there will be a luncheon held at the church.

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