Woman cleared in Electric Forest baby death speaks out
Michigan State Police eliminated Muskegon-area attendee Falana Scott as a suspect on July 10, 2026, after social media posts wrongly tied her to a newborn found dead at Electric Forest. Scott, who insists she is innocent, cooperated with DNA testing as the FBI joined the probe and offered a $15,000 reward for tips.
Falana Scott broke her silence in a July 12 interview with MLive, two days after troopers confirmed she was no longer a person of interest. "I'm innocent," the Muskegon woman said. "(This has) been a lot of emotions and a lot of things to process. America still thinks I did it."
Key Takeaways
- A newborn was found dead June 28, 2026, in a portable restroom at Electric Forest's Double JJ Resort in Rothbury, Michigan.
- Preliminary autopsy findings indicate the infant was viable and born alive; the mother has not been located.
- Falana Scott was cleared July 10 after DNA testing; she was wrongly named online but fully cooperated with investigators.
- The FBI Detroit Field Office is assisting Michigan State Police and offering up to $15,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
- Anyone with information can contact MSP at 855-MICH-TIP or submit tips at tips.fbi.gov.
What happened at Electric Forest?
Workers discovered the baby's body on June 28 during routine maintenance at a portable restroom in the festival camping area. It was the final day of the four-day festival at the Double JJ Resort in Oceana County.
Michigan State Police said a restroom vending company employee made the horrific discovery. Authorities have not said whether the infant was a boy or girl, and investigators are still working to determine whether the baby died inside the restroom or was stillborn elsewhere and later placed there.
Who was wrongly accused in the case?
About a week after the festival ended, social media posts began circulating that wrongly identified Scott as the woman involved. State police followed up on tips alleging she was responsible.
Scott told MLive she attended Electric Forest for the 10th time this year. She said she was roughly 10 to 13 weeks pregnant during the festival but later suffered a miscarriage. She gave investigators every type of DNA sample they requested and was cleared through testing.
Police did not name Scott when announcing her elimination as a suspect on July 10, but said she was "fully cooperative throughout the process." Scott said she could not discuss details of her police interview.
How are federal authorities involved?
The FBI Detroit Field Office announced Monday it is assisting Michigan State Police in the investigation. The agency is offering a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of those responsible.
"We are confident that continued investigative efforts, combined with forensic science, will ultimately lead to the identification of the person responsible," state troopers said in a statement.
For more coverage of open investigations, see our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries section. Official updates are posted by CBS News Detroit and Michigan State Police.
Anyone with information is asked to submit a tip at Michigan.gov/MichTip, call 855-MICH-TIP (855-642-4847), or contact the FBI through tips.fbi.gov.