Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-02-16
Daughter Tells
0fHe|ping Get
Rid Of Baby
Court to Determine
If Mother Should
Have Mental Tests

The daughter of an Arlington
woman charged with numbering
her baby told today how she
helped the mother dispose of the
infants body last Wednesday
night.
The story was related in Ar
lington County Court during
preliminary hearings for Mrs.
Viola Opanowich and her hus-
band, Peter Opanowich, also
charged in the case.
Judge Hugh Held ordered Mrs.
Opanowich taken into Circuit
Court to determine whether she
should be sent to the South
western State Hospital at Mar
ion for mental examination.
commemorative Attorney Will
liam j. Hassan said the State
agreed she should be examined.
Mrs. Marian Lowe, 81, of
Shirley-Duke Apartments, took
the stand as State witness and
explained how her mother had
asked her assistance in disposing
Of the body.
Glad It Was Boy.
Last Tuesday mother called
and told me about having the
baby" she related. "She said
she was very happy because it
was boy and wanted to call it
Peter Joseph.
EARLY Wednesday morning
she called again and said she
was worried because the baby
was sick I wanted to go by
the house, but she said not to.
However, I did drive by
Wednesday night. She came
out on the porch and told me
the baby was dead and asked
me to help get rid of the body.
Il hesitated and didn't know
what to do, but Mother said,
Marian. I have helped you a
lot And she has, she's been a
wonderful mother, so I decided
to do it."
Mrs. Lowe said her mother
placed a brown shopping bag in
the rear of the car and they
drove to the spot where the body
was found by police and f1remen
Saturday night. in a wooded
area about 20 feet of Army Navy
drive, between Shirley Homes
and Four-Mile run.
Gone About 5 Minutes.
Mrs. Lowe said her mother
left the car, taking the bag with
her, and was gone about five
minutes.
Before the discovery, police
had taken ashes from a furnace
in the Opanowich home at Ills
South Eighteenth street, and
sent them to Richmond for an
alysis. Police say Mrs. Opano-
wich told them she threw the
baby into the furnace.
Another witness today was
Julius E. Sherr, 40, of 1915 G
street NV, who is under bond
as material witness.
Sherr Tells of Call.
Mr.. Sherr said Mrs. Opano-
Wich called hi "Wednesday and
told him she had a baby and
didn't know what to do with it
and didn't want it.
I'm going crazy" Mr.. Sherr
said Mrs. Opanowich complained.
IT can't feed it. I haven't slept
in three days. I'll throw it in
the furnace"
Mr.. Sherr offered to go after
the baby, he said, but Mrs.
Opanowich asked him not to,
saying that Peter (Mr. Opano-
wicD would take care of it.
OpanoWich. So, a hotel kitch-
en- worker, has told police he was
not aware the baby had been
born. He has been free under
$1,000 bond.
Husband Held, Too.
Today Judge Reid said the evil
dence presented did not support
holding Opanowich, but Mr..
Hassan asked for and was grant,
ed a continuance until March 3.
Mr.. Hassan said investigation of
the case had not been COM
pleted.
Opanowich was held as an ac-
cessory before and after the fact.
Authorities have refused to
state specifically what caused the
infants deah, if they know. The
baby'S vital organs were sent to-
day to the State Health Depart
ment laboratories in Richmond
for analysis.