© 2024 WNIJ and WNIU
Northern Public Radio
801 N 1st St.
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-753-9000
Northern Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Slain child's remains to be returned to family

The remains of Maria Ridulph, a 7-year-old Sycamore girl kidnapped and killed in 1957, will be returned to her family under a court order granted Wednesday.

The child was abducted from her Sycamore neighborhood Dec. 3, 1957. Her remains were found nearly five months later in rural Jo Daviess County.

Jack D. McCullough, 72, of Seattle, has been charged with murder, felony kidnapping and felony abduction of an infant in the case.

The Daily Chronicle reports that prosecutors sought to release the girl’s bodily remains to her family, since postmortem exams have been completed.

Ridulph’s remains were first taken to the DeKalb County Coroner’s office the morning of July 27, 2011, the day her body was exhumed from Elmwood Cemetery in Sycamore, said DeKalb County State’s Attorney Clay Campbell.

An initial exam was conducted there. Shortly after, the body was taken to Indiana University in Indianapolis, where two university experts conducted testing, Campbell said.

On May 1, A forensic anthropology report was given to the defense May 1, and a medical examiner’s report was tendered three weeks later.

McCullough, who is being held on $3 million bond, has pleaded not guilty. He will next appear in court June 28; the trial has not been scheduled.