An Illinois woman has been taken into custody 25 years after a newborn boy, remembered locally as baby Jacob Hope, was found inside a bag that had been thrown into a dumpster behind a grocery store.
Jennifer Lebron, 48, now faces two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the infant’s death after investigators used genetic genealogy to identify her as a suspect, according to a joint statement from the Round Lake Beach Police Department and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.
“I was personally at the scene of this incident in 2001, and the memory of that day has remained with me throughout my career,” Round Lake Beach Police Chief Ryan Rodriguez said. “Jacob Hope deserved answers, dignity, and justice. Today’s arrest represents an important step toward accountability for this innocent child, and I’m grateful to everyone whose persistence and collaboration made it possible.”
What Happened to Baby Jacob Hope?
Police in Round Lake Beach responded to the grocery store on Rollins Road on August 26, 2001, after the newborn was discovered dead in a bag inside a dumpster behind the business, authorities said.
The infant was later given the name “Jacob Hope” by AMT Children of Hope.
Following an investigation by the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, a different woman was arrested in 2001. Investigators later determined, however, that she had never been pregnant and was not connected to the baby’s death. The case against her was dropped that October.
Investigators Arrest Baby Jacob Hope’s Alleged Mother Jennifer Lebron
The investigation remained cold for years until Round Lake Beach detectives reopened the case in 2024. Authorities said they submitted the baby’s DNA for genetic genealogy analysis, which helped identify a relative of the child’s biological father.
That lead eventually brought investigators to the father, who is not suspected of any criminal wrongdoing, and then to the newborn’s biological mother, whom authorities identified as Lebron.
After speaking with the 48-year-old, collecting additional evidence and working closely with prosecutors, Lebron was arrested on July 14, according to jail records reviewed by Oxygen.
“This cold case could not have been solved without the unbelievable work of the Round Lake Beach Police Department,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said in the statement. “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.”
Lebron is currently being held at the Lake County Jail without bail.
It’s unclear whether she has retained an attorney.
