A woman has been arrested and charged with manslaughter in a cold case after prosecutors say her newborn infant was found dead in a bag in a dumpster behind a grocery store in Round Lake Beach in 2001.
Jennifer Lebron, 48, of Lake Villa, was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of her newborn child that occurred almost 25 years ago.
The Round Lake Beach Police Department responded on August 26, 2001, to the area of Dominick’s, 722 East Rollins Road in Round Lake Beach, for a report of a deceased baby.
Officers found a deceased infant in a bag in a dumpster behind the grocery store, which was located in a strip mall, the state’s attorney’s office said.
Investigators from the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force conducted an investigation at the time.
A different woman was initially charged with first-degree murder in September 2001.
Investigators later determined that the woman was never pregnant and was not involved in the death of the infant child. The court case was dismissed in October 2001 and the investigation went cold.
Prosecutors said the infant boy was named “Jacob Hope” by AMT Children of Hope. The Lake County Public Guardian assisted with the action to honor the child.
Round Lake Beach police investigators reopened the case in early 2024 and submitted the DNA of the child for genetic genealogy testing.
Prosecutors said the testing identified a genetic match to an individual related to the infant’s father, which eventually led investigators to identify both the infant’s father and mother, Jennifer Lebron.
The father is not suspected of any criminal activity, they added.
Investigators spoke with Lebron, continued to review the evidence and worked closely with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office throughout the investigation.
The state’s attorney’s office has since approved the two counts of involuntary manslaughter, a Class 3 felony, against Lebron.
Round Lake Beach Police Chief Ryan Rodriguez said Tuesday that he was “extraordinarily proud” of the determination of his detectives, as well as the investigators whose efforts began nearly 25 years ago.
“I was personally at the scene of this incident in 2001, and the memory of that day has remained with me throughout my career. Our children and senior citizens are among the most precious and vulnerable members of our community, and cases involving harm to them resonate especially deeply,” Rodriguez said.
“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,” Rodriguez said.
Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said the cold case could not have been solved without the “unbelievable work” of the Round Lake Beach Police Department.
“Some of the officers and leaders that investigated this matter have retired. But their efforts must be acknowledged. With the painstaking investigation having been completed, we will now seek to secure justice for this child who lost his life because of the offender’s criminal actions,” Rinehart said.
Lebron was taken into custody on Tuesday morning on an arrest warrant and she is scheduled to appear in First Appearance Court on Wednesday morning.