After a newborn baby rapidly ages into an 80 @-@ year @-@ old man , Fringe division agent Olivia Dunham ( Anna Torv ) and consultants Peter ( Joshua Jackson ) and Walter Bishop ( John Noble ) investigate . They tie the case to the murders of young women , who have all had their pituitary glands removed . It is revealed that Dr. Claus Penrose ( Mark Blum ) , an expert in progeria , is working to help his son Christopher ( Derek Cecil ) stay alive , as he suffers from rapid aging syndrome .