Electric Forest Faces Permit Review Amid Unsolved Newborn Death

Investigation Continues, FBI Offers Reward

Michigan State Police are investigating after a newborn baby's body was discovered inside a portable toilet in the camping area at Electric Forest on June 28, the final day of this year's festival. Preliminary autopsy findings confirmed the baby was born alive and was viable. The FBI is now offering a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

Petition Demands Safety Overhaul

Former Rothbury resident Mike Lewis submitted a petition with roughly 1,500 signatures calling for the festival's permit to be revoked until several safety-related conditions are met. The petition requests that the Oceana County Sheriff's Office take primary control over festival security, increase vehicle searches for illegal drugs, remove private security, and require Electric Forest organizers to cover law enforcement costs. Lewis also wants greater transparency about festival-related incidents, including deaths, overdoses, and sexual assaults.

The baby's death, along with concerns about reported drug activity and the suicide of an Illinois man who attended the festival, has intensified calls for a review of Electric Forest's permit. Some residents want local officials to scrutinize AEG, the global entertainment company behind the event.

Officials Await Investigation Results

Ahead of the July 21 village council meeting, Rothbury Village President Mike Harris said officials would not take action until investigators establish all the facts. Harris acknowledged community frustration but emphasized the need to avoid premature conclusions. Not everyone supports suspending the festival; some residents argue Electric Forest has improved over the years and remains vital to the local economy.

Now in its 14th year, Electric Forest is Michigan's largest multi-day music festival, attracting tens of thousands of attendees each summer and generating an estimated $60 million to $65 million in economic impact for the region. Village officials appear committed to letting the investigation run its course before considering any action.