A newborn was found dead in a portable restroom in the camping area on the festival’s final day.
The Electric Forest music festival in Rothbury, Michigan closed Today under circumstances that cast a shadow over its final hours. A newborn baby was found dead inside a portable restroom in the festival’s camping area this morning, Michigan State Police confirmed. The body was discovered by an employee of the restroom vending company during a routine maintenance check.
Electric Forest, which draws tens of thousands of people annually to the Double JJ Resort about 64 miles northwest of Grand Rapids, had been sold out for all four days of its run beginning Thursday. Sunday was the final day of the event.
What investigators know and what they are still determining
Michigan State Police described the infant as a neonate, a term used for newborns up to four weeks of age. Sources told local media that the infant appeared to have been born inside the portable restroom, with physical evidence consistent with a birth having occurred at the scene. Whether the infant was stillborn or died after birth has not been determined, and investigators said an autopsy would be needed to establish the cause and manner of death.
Michigan State Police Lt. Pat Agema confirmed that an investigation is underway. Authorities said there is no known threat to the public. The search for the infant’s mother is part of the ongoing investigation, and no further details about her identity or whereabouts have been released.
AEG Worldwide, the company that operates Electric Forest, had not responded to media requests for comment as of this afternoon. The festival contracts with Michigan State Police to provide security during the event, which may have supported the speed of the initial response once the discovery was made.
A festival and a community absorbing difficult news
Electric Forest has been held at the Double JJ Resort in Oceana County for years and has grown into one of the larger summer music events in the Midwest, known for its forest setting, camping culture, and multi-day format that draws attendees from across the country. The discovery occurred on Electric Forest’s closing morning, when thousands of festival-goers were still on site preparing to depart.
Michigan State Police said the investigation remains active. Further details, including the timeline for completing the autopsy and any developments in the search for the infant’s mother, are expected to be released as the investigation progresses.