News

November 27, 2008

Berwick woman arrested in abandoned infant investigation

By Ed Lewis elewis@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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BERWICK - Police allege a 23-year old woman abandoned her newborn infant girl outside her home early Saturday morning.

Jennifer Lynn Killian, of Garfield Avenue, who was born in Kingston, was charged with felony counts of aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child, and a misdemeanor count of recklessly endangering another person. She was arraigned early Thursday morning by District Judge Marvin Shrawder in Danville and jailed at the Columbia County Prison for lack of $1 million dollars, police said.

Police linked the infant girl to Killian through DNA.

According to the criminal complaint:

Killian gave birth to the infant inside her home at 117 Garfield Ave., and placed the infant in a plastic bag in an attempt to hide her pregnancy and birth from her parents. Killian opened a window and dropped the infant to the ground in 17 degree weather, the criminal complaint says.

Police said the infant girl, when found, had a core temperature of 84 degrees. The newborn was rushed to Berwick Hospital and transported to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, where she is recovering, police said.

Police said in the criminal complaint that Killian's father, Charles Drasher, discovered the infant in the bag.

Drasher heard noises believing his granddaughter, Killian's 1-year old girl, was crying. When Drasher determined it wasn't his granddaughter, he went outside and found the infant in the bag, the criminal complaint says.

Police said after the infant was flown to Geisinger Medical, physicians determined the infant could not have survived outside for more than five minutes.

Police stated in the criminal complaint that information received from witnesses led them to Killian.

Police recovered the placenta that was tested for DNA at the laboratory in Willow Grove. A search warrant was executed for Killian to submit to a DNA sample on Wednesday, according to the criminal complaint.

Results of the DNA tests determined Killian was the mother, police said.

For more on the story, read The Times Leader on Friday.

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