Woman charged in baby's death in Round Lake Beach, Illinois, back in 2001
A woman was arrested in Round Lake Beach, Illinois, Tuesday and charged with the death of her newborn child nearly 25 years ago.
Jennifer Lebron, 48, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, according to Round Lake Beach police.
On Aug. 26, 2001, Round Lake Beach police were called after a baby was found dead in a bag in a dumpster behind a grocery store on Rollins Road. The Lake County Major Crimes Task Force launched an investigation.
In September 2001, a different woman was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the discovery, authorities said. But it turned out that woman was never pregnant and was not involved with the death of the baby, authorities said.
The charges against that first woman were dropped in October 2001, and the case went cold, authorities said.
Early in 2024, Round Lake Beach police investigators reopened the case and submitted the deceased baby's DNA for genetic testing. A match came back first for the infant's father, then for the infant's mother, who turned out to be Lebron, authorities said.
The father is not suspected of any criminal activity, authorities said.
After a review and questioning, Lebron was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
The baby who died was named Jacob Hope by AMT Children of Hope, authorities said.
"I am extraordinarily proud of the determination of our detectives, as well as the investigators whose efforts began nearly 25 years ago," Round Lake Beach police Chief Ryan Rodriguez said in a news release. "I was personally at the scene of this incident in 2001, and the memory of that day has remained with me throughout my career."
