Baby killed in Mississippi River: Woman arrested for alleged murder of 'Baby Angel' 14 years ago
Jennifer Nichole Baechle was charged with second-degree manslaughter after DNA confirmed she was the mother of a newborn found lifeless in a bag in the Mississippi River nearly 14 years ago.
A Minnesota woman was arrested and formally charged this week in connection with an unsolved case dating back to 2011, when the body of a newborn baby was found floating in the Mississippi River. Jennifer Nichole Baechle faces two counts of second-degree manslaughter after DNA evidence confirmed that she was the biological mother of the child, known as "Baby Angel."
The body was discovered inside a bag along with personal items such as a pendant, incense, and angel figurines. An autopsy revealed that the baby had skull fractures that occurred while she was still alive and that she received no medical attention after birth. The case had remained unresolved until new genetic genealogy techniques identified Baechle as a suspect.
Advances in the investigation and DNA analysis
For more than a decade, Winona County investigators worked inconclusively. In 2023, with the help of the Firebird Forensics group, genetic genealogy was used to trace the baby's relatives, which led to Baechle. Initially, she refused to provide a DNA sample, prompting investigators to recover genetic material from items in her trash.
The results confirmed a genetic match with "Baby Angel." A court order later obtained an official DNA sample, which corroborated the maternal connection. County Attorney Karin Sonneman indicated that other possible crimes had already expired and that Baechle is, for now, the only person charged in the case.
The grave of 'Baby Angel' is located in Winona County, where people mourn the tragedy. Photo: InForum
Background of the case and Current legal situation
The baby's body was found on September 5, 2011, about 11 kilometers south of Winona. According to the criminal complaint, the newborn was born shortly before death and still had the umbilical cord attached. The coroner determined that she suffered head trauma while alive. In 2016, the community held a burial for the baby, a symbolic act reflecting the emotional impact of the case.
Baechle appeared in court on Thursday, where unconditional bail was set at $200,000 and conditional bail at $20,000, with mobility restrictions and GPS monitoring. Although she is currently married with two children, authorities assessed her as a possible flight risk. The defendant was booked into the Winona County Jail, although she was not listed in inmate records available as of the afternoon of the same day.