WHEN five-year-old Timothy Wiltsey went missing, his remains were recovered as his case was ruled a homicide.
Police arrested his mother Michelle Lodzinski for his murder but her conviction was overturned and she was released from prison.
Who is Michelle Lodzinski?
Michelle Lodzinski is a mother of three and a former prisoner from Middlesex County, New Jersey.
On August 6, 2014, Michelle was arrested for the first-degree murder of her late son Timothy Wiltsey.
The five-year-old boy was reported missing on May 25, 1991.
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According to Michelle, Timothy was kidnapped while they were at a carnival in Sayreville together.
On April 23, 1992, his remains were recovered near a marshy area in Edison.
Due to the corpse's decomposed state, the cause of death was not determined.
On May 18, 2016, Michelle was found guilty of Timothy's homicide.
Throughout her trial, she repeatedly denied all allegations of killing her own son.
On January 5, 2017, she was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Why was Michelle released from prison?
On December 28, 2021, Michelle's guilty verdict was overturned after it was declared there wasn't enough evidence for the jury to convict her.
That Tuesday, she was released from Edna Mahan Correctional Facility and allowed to return home.
"After reviewing the entirety of the evidence and after giving the state the benefit of all its favorable testimony and all the favorable inferences drawn from that testimony, no reasonable jury could find beyond a reasonable doubt that Lodzinski purposefully or knowingly caused Timothy’s death," Justice Barry Albin announced.
"We may never know the truth about what happened in this case.
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"Lodzinski’s inconsistent statements do not support the conclusion that she is a murderer.
"Even if the evidence suggested that Timothy did not die by accident, no testimony or evidence was offered to distinguish whether Timothy died by the negligent, reckless, or purposeful or knowing acts of a person, even if that person were Lodzinski."
In a statement to My Central Jersey, Michelle's lawyer Gerald Krovatin said: "This is a great day for the rule of law...for the principle that convictions have to be based on evidence, not on speculation and emotion.
"We weren't going to give up. It was a long ordeal but I'm very happy the court ultimately came out where it did in the end."
Michelle commented: "I want to go home and just see my kids.
"I'm relieved, just grateful for all the people that helped me and that stood by my side to get me home to see my family and friends."
After her sentence was lifted, she returned to Florida to reconnect with her two sons.
How can I watch Timothy Wiltsey's Dateline episode?
On April 29, 2022, Timothy's homicide is revisited in an episode of Dateline NBC titled The Blue Blanket Mystery.
That Friday, The Blue Blanket Mystery was broadcast at 9pm EST via the abovementioned network.
Show anchor Andrea Canning gathers first-hand accounts from those who were close to the investigation.
On September 1, 2023, the episode is slated to be aired again on NBC.
For those who miss Friday's airing, there are a couple of streaming options available.
Audiences who miss the initial broadcast can check out the episode via Hulu or Peacock.
