Cold case cracked: Woman charged nearly 25 years after baby found dead in dumpster
Jennifer Lebron | Round Lake Beach Police Department
ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. - A woman has been charged nearly 25 years after a newborn baby was found dead inside a dumpster behind a Round Lake Beach grocery store.
Jennifer Lebron, 48, was arrested Thursday and charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of her newborn son, according to Round Lake Beach police.
Cold case solved
The backstory:
The case dates back to Aug. 26, 2001, when officers responded to a report of a dead infant found inside a bag in a dumpster behind a grocery store on Rollins Road.
Detectives with the Lake County Major Crime Task Force launched an investigation but the case eventually went cold.
A different woman was initially charged with first-degree murder in September 2001. Investigators later determined she had never been pregnant and had no involvement in the baby's death. The charges were dismissed the following month.
The investigation remained unsolved until early 2024, when Round Lake Beach detectives reopened the case and submitted the infant's DNA for genetic genealogy testing.
Police said the testing identified a genetic match to a relative of the infant's biological father, allowing investigators to identify both parents. Authorities said the child's father is not suspected of any wrongdoing.
After interviewing Lebron, reviewing evidence and working with the Lake County State's Attorney's Office, prosecutors approved two felony counts of involuntary manslaughter.
The infant was later given the name "Jacob Hope" through AMT Children of Hope, with assistance from the Lake County Public Guardian, to honor the child.
What they're saying:
Round Lake Beach Police Chief Ryan Rodriguez, who said he responded to the original scene in 2001, praised investigators who continued pursuing the case over the years.
"Jacob Hope deserved answers, dignity, and justice," Rodriguez said. "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."
Lebron was taken into custody Thursday on an arrest warrant and is scheduled to make her first court appearance later in the day.
The Source: The information in this report came from the Round Lake Beach Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff's Office.