Woman Charged with Murder 23 Years After Baby Girl Was Found Dead in a Trash Bag in Colorado
An arrest has been made in a 23-year-old murder case involving a newborn baby who was found dead in a trash bag in a Colorado reservoir back in 1996.
According to a press release from the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Jennifer Katalinich — also known as Jennifer Tjornehoj — was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the case.
Katalinich, 42, of Erie, Colorado, was charged with murder in the first degree and murder in the second degree. She was booked into the Larimer County Jail but was later released on a $25,000 bond. Katalinich’s attorney, David Mestas, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
“This case serves as a great reminder that [the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office] is determined to solve all cases despite the amount of time that passes after the commission of the crime,” Sheriff Justin Smith said. “It often takes just one citizen to come forward with information to spark new life into a cold case.”
According to authorities, the case — commonly known as the “Baby Faith” case — began in August 1996 when the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office received a report that the body of a newborn baby girl had been found in a reservoir. When officials responded to the scene, they found that she was also inside a plastic trash bag. The unidentified baby was given the nickname “Baby Faith.”
An autopsy later revealed that the cause of death was homicide by asphyxia and suffocation.
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The case eventually went cold, but was reopened in 2006 “in hopes advances in DNA technology could produce new leads,” the sheriff’s office said. However, no new information surfaced during that year.
Ten years later, in 2016, investigators resubmitted evidence containing DNA to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. In July of this year, the CBI reported that they had narrowed down their search to five people “with a probability” of being related to the deceased baby girl. Four of those individuals were found likely to have information that would help the investigation.
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Last month, investigators met with three of the individuals, who were subsequently cleared of involvement in the case. During their interview with the fourth individual, authorities determined that Katalinich could have information relating to the case.
After investigators spoke with Katalinich in October, a warrant was issued for her arrest on Nov. 1. Authorities did not provide additional information about how the DNA evidence was used, or what the individuals involved said in their interviews.
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Authorities also urged anyone with information about the “Baby Faith” case to contact the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office at 970-498-5167.
“Until recently, we feared we would never know her by any other name or why she was left alone in the cold waters of Horsetooth Reservoir in August of 1996,” former Larimer County Sheriff’s Office investigation sergeant Andy Josey said at a press conference on Tuesday. “A case like this one is not ever forgotten.”
“What I know is this: I came to know a newborn girl who was left by choice, not by chance,” he added. “I knew then, as I know today, she didn’t deserve to be left alone.”
