Baby Angel complaint:
On or about September 5, 2011, at approximately 2:22 pm, Winona County Sheriffs Deputies (collectively “Deputies”) responded to a call concerning a deceased newborn that was found floating in the Mississippi River. The infant was found inside a bag floating on the Minnesota side of the river within the border of Winona County, Minnesota, approximately seven miles south of the City of Winona. The bag containing the infant was found floating in the water by boaters. The inside of the bag also contained a pendant, incense, and several angel figurines.
On September 6, 2011, an autopsy was conducted on the infant. The medical examiner determined the infant appeared to be full-term and was likely a recent birth within a day or two. The infant had a four-inch section of the umbilical cord attached that appeared to have been cut with a sharp-edged instrument. It did not appear the umbilical cord was cut by a medical provider which indicated the infant did not receive medical treatment during or after birth.  The medical examiner noted several fractures on the front and side of the infant’s skull.
There was bleeding on the brain. There was no evidence of medical intervention on the infant. A 2024 updated autopsy review concluded this “normally developed term female infant sustained injuries of the head while alive.”
The evidence shows the skull fractures were sustained while the infant was alive. This is not the type of injury that would have occurred with the assistance of a medical professional during delivery. The incidents of skull fractures during a medically assisted delivery are very low and generally occur in only 2.9% of cases where forceps were used during the birthing process. There is no evidence that medical care was provided during or immediately after delivery. The resultant brain hemorrhages from the skull fractures could have been treated medically and decreased the likelihood of death.
The funeral for Baby Angel was 5 April 2012.
Jennifer Nichole Baechle, 43, is facing two counts of second-degree manslaughter for allegedly placing her newborn in a white tote bag and sending it down the Mississippi River in 2011.
➡️ 24 April 2025 court hearing: Baechle’s unconditional bail was set at $200,000 with her conditional bail set at $20,000 provided that she doesn’t leave the state and is monitored via a GPS. The next court hearing is scheduled for 7 July 2025.
Jennifer Baechle complaint:
On or about May 24, 2023, Deputies requested Defendant provide a voluntary DNA sample. Defendant requested time to think about giving a sample and said she would get back in touch with Deputies. On June 1, 2023, Defendant requested additional time to research the company Deputies were using for genealogy analysis. Deputies then received a letter from a criminal defense lawyer requesting any future contact with Defendant be made through counsel.
Deputies conducted a trash pull search of Defendant’s trash. Deputies collected the trash that was set outside for pickup by the trash collection company. A search of the trash bags revealed information connected to Defendant’s household. Deputies also located a discarded female hygiene product. These items were sent to the BCA laboratory for testing and comparison to the DNA of the infant. The BCA’s report on the DNA testing and comparison confirmed that the infant, found in the bag floating in the Mississippi River on September 5, 2011, could be the biological child of Defendant.
On or about March 19, 2024, Deputies served a search warrant on Defendant to collect DNA. Defendant’s DNA was submitted to the BCA laboratory for testing. The DNA test results indicated the genetic results obtained from the unidentified female infant are 570,000 times more likely to occur in a biological child of Defendant than in someone unrelated to Defendant. The report concluded that this was very strong evidence to support the biological relationship between Defendant and the unidentified female infant as being a biological mother daughter relationship. As the biological mother of the infant, Defendant had a duty to seek medical care on behalf of the infant during pregnancy, birth, and immediately after birth.
Deputies spoke with members of Defendant’s family. The family told Deputies they had not had personal contact with Defendant during 2011. They said Defendant was living in her van in the Winona, Minnesota, area in 2011. Deputies showed Defendant’s family members photographs of the items found with the infant in the bag. Family members immediately recognized the blue pendant as belonging to Defendant. Deputies were also told that Defendant collected angels. They described giving an angel ornament to Defendant every Christmas.
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