An Illinois woman is facing charges in connection with the death of a newborn found in a dumpster a quarter-century ago.
Jennifer Lebron, 48, is charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, the Round Lake Beach Police Department and Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office announced in a joint statement on July 14.
The baby was found inside a bag in a dumpster behind a grocery store in Round Lake Beach on Aug. 26, 2001, per the statement. The baby was born alive and died by suffocation, the Chicago Tribune reported in 2001.
Another woman was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the case the following month, but investigators later determined she had never actually been pregnant and the case was dismissed against her.
The case was reopened in 2024 when the DNA of the baby, nicknamed “Jacob Hope,” was sent out for testing and came back as a match for the baby’s father and, subsequently, Lebron. Authorities say the father is not accused of any wrongdoing.
“I was personally at the scene of this incident in 2001, and the memory of that day has remained with me throughout my career,” said Round Lake Beach Police Chief Ryan Rodriguez. “Jacob Hope deserved answers, dignity, and justice. Today’s arrest represents an important step toward accountability for this innocent child, and I am grateful to everyone whose persistence and collaboration made it possible.”

source:https://people.com/woman-charged-with-putting-baby-dumpster-12019442