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Woman arrested in 1992 Iowa City cold case, Missouri sheriff speaks out

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Woman arrested in 1992 Iowa City cold case, Missouri sheriff speaks out


CLEVER, Missouri (KCRG) – Authorities made an arrest in a 1992 Cold Case out of Iowa City. It was in December of that year that sanitation workers found the body of a newborn in the Iowa City landfill.

32 years later, investigators identified Cindy Elder as the baby’s mother. She was arrested in Missouri, where she lives now. Prosecutors charged her with first-degree murder.

A landfill worker found the body of Baby John Doe on December 21st, 1992.

At that time, the cause of death was undetermined due to a lack of information about the labor and delivery of the newborn, who still had the placenta attached.

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Now, we know the full story as to what happened and how he ended up in the landfill.

Investigators reopened the case in 2020 because of new advancements in DNA technology.

DNA from the baby led right to Cindy Elder. Investigators believe she was 26 when she delivered Baby John Doe.

No one knew Elder was pregnant.

According to the criminal complaint, she had tried to induce a miscarriage.

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When she gave birth in the basement of a home where she was staying, she ‘did something’ to keep the baby quiet.

Then, she put the baby in a plastic bag and left it in the trash receptacle near her father’s apartment in Coralville.

It was freezing outside, with the low temperature at zero degrees.

“Anytime that somebody makes a decision to do what she did with this baby, it just appalls me,” said Brad Cole, sheriff of Christian County, Missouri.

Missouri officials arrested Elder early Tuesday morning.

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“To be honest with you, our investigators, when they got the phone call that the warrant had been issued yesterday, it kind of caught them off guard because there’s a lot of time between when we began this investigation and now,” Cole said.

The case will be prosecuted by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, who provided this statement to TV9:

“The goal of our Cold Case Unit is to aid local law enforcement in their unresolved homicide cases. While I am happy to say our experienced investigators were able to assist in the investigations that led to today’s arrest, I want to give full credit to the tireless work of the Iowa City Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations for never giving up on justice for this tiny victim. Now the Johnson County Attorney’s Office and prosecutors from my office will work to ensure justice is fully served.”



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Groundbreaking held for Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s 16th Woman Build

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Groundbreaking held for Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s 16th Woman Build


IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) — Volunteers broke ground Saturday for Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s 16th Woman Build, honoring a retired University of Iowa nursing professor.

Liz Swanson, a retired nursing professor, was chosen as this year’s honoree for her decades of impact. The Women Build program focuses on including women in every step of home construction.

While the home is built in Swanson’s honor, it will go to a fellow nurse and mother of three. The family applied through the affordable housing program.

Swanson said she’s proud to be part of a project that directly connects to her nursing legacy.

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“It’s very special to have the unique opportunity to help the nurse who is working nights,” Swanson said.

Swanson said stable housing gives families the security to plan for the future.

“It means security for families. We talked briefly to the children and they said, ‘we’re gonna have our own bedroom,’” Swanson said.

Volunteers are set to begin work on the home in August. Those interested in volunteering can find more information here.

Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.

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Iowa Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 Midday results for May 8, 2026

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The Iowa Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big with rewards ranging from $1,000 to millions. The most an Iowan has ever won from playing the lottery was $343 million in 2018 off the Powerball.

Don’t miss out on the winnings. Here’s a look at Friday, May 8, 2026, winning numbers for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 8 drawing

37-47-49-51-58, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick-3 numbers from May 8 drawing

Midday: 0-5-8

Evening: 9-9-2

Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick-4 numbers from May 8 drawing

Midday: 0-2-7-3

Evening: 0-7-0-6

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Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 8 drawing

14-16-21-43-51, Bonus: 03

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Iowa Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 3 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 3 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 4 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 4 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
  • Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Iowa editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Iowa SNAP restrictions raise concerns over confusion, impact on summer food aid

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Iowa SNAP restrictions raise concerns over confusion, impact on summer food aid


Iowa’s new restrictions on SNAP benefits are drawing concern from advocates who say the changes could make it harder for families to buy food and could put future summer assistance for children at risk.

The state’s SNAP waiver took effect January 1, 2026, limiting what items can be purchased based on Iowa’s taxable food list. While that includes widely discussed restrictions on soda and candy, the policy also affects certain prepared foods, creating confusion for shoppers.

“Something as small as whether or not a utensil is included in a food item actually impacts whether or not you can continue to purchase that item using your SNAP benefits,” Paige Chickering, Iowa State Manager for the Save the Children Action Network, said.

Advocates say the rules can be difficult to navigate, especially for people relying on quick meals. Items like prepackaged salads or sandwiches may or may not qualify depending on how they are packaged.

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At the same time, new legislation slated for the next session at the statehouse could make those restrictions more permanent by requiring Iowa to continue seeking federal approval for the waiver.

That’s raising additional concerns about the future of Summer EBT, also known as “Sun Bucks,” which provides food assistance to children when school is out.

“This makes that food assistance dependent on a decision made in Washington, D.C. that is just arbitrary and not really dependent on the needs of Iowans and Iowa children,” Chickering said.

The program is expected to help around 220,000 children in Iowa during the summer months. Advocates worry leaving it up to federal approval of the waiver could jeopardize that support if policies change. They also point out that SNAP plays a major role in addressing hunger compared to other resources.

“We know that for every one meal provided by an emergency feeding organization, SNAP provides nine,” Chickering said.

Advocates say they support improving nutrition but argue there are more effective, evidence based ways to do that without limiting food choices.

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For now, organizations across Iowa are working to help families understand the new rules, while also pushing lawmakers to reconsider how the policy could impact food access moving forward.



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