3 fetuses found in dead woman's freezer

The remains of what are tentatively identified as three fetuses or infants were discovered in the freezer of a woman who was found dead in her home last month.

A relative who was clearing out Tracy Howard's apartment discovered the bodies bagged in a freezer Thursday, Detective Lt. Michelle Jones said.

Autopsies were to be conducted Saturday to determine the ages and causes of death, and DNA tests will be performed to determine whether Howard, 35, was the mother.

The condition of the bodies made it hard to comment on their possible ages, Jones said. "These were not like 9-pound babies. They were smaller in nature."

Jones said Howard lived alone. Her body was found in the apartment Nov. 28 after co-workers became concerned when she didn't show up for work.

An initial autopsy showed she died of natural causes, but toxicology reports are pending.

Police were continuing to interview people who knew Howard, but so far no one has told them they remembered her being pregnant.

"Ms. Howard was a rather large female, and it probably would not have been as prominent with her as it would have been with a small woman," Jones said.