Jennifer Nichole Baechle, Winona, Minnesota mom who dumped newborn ‘Baby Angel’ in Mississippi River arrested 13 years later as cold case is finally solved.
A Minnesota woman has been charged in a more than decade-old cold case of a baby girl whose body was found floating down the Mississippi River.
DNA evidence conclusively showed Jennifer Nichole Baechle, 43, of Winona, is the mother of the dead newborn, who was dubbed ‘Baby Angel,’ according to investigators.
Boaters found the baby girl in the Mississippi River in Minnesota, seven miles south of Winona, 13 years ago.
Unassisted and unattended birth and newborn suffering injury to head
The child’s body was located in a bag with incense, a pendant and multiple angel figures in September 2011 over that Labor Day weekend.
One of the boaters tried to perform CPR on the child, according to News 8 Now, but it was clear the infant had died.
The angel figurines led authorities to give the child the “Baby Angel” nickname. The deceased newborn was likely full term and only a couple of days old, investigators surmised.
A medical examiner found the infant had a four-inch section of her umbilical cord attached and ‘several fractures on the front and side’ of her skull, a criminal complaint stated. The child had sustained the injuries of the head while she was alive, an autopsy conducted in 2024 found.
‘We believe the mother gave unassisted and unattended birth in this case. And it’s imperative that we identify her quickly so that we can make sure that she receives any medical or mental health services that she may need,’ said Senior Special Agent Drew Evans with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in a statement shortly after the discovery.
Despite releasing photos of the items found with the baby and following up on more than 50 leads, the case remained unsolved.
DNA match finally confirmed
For years, officials didn’t know what happened to the child or how she came to be in the river. But a breakthrough was in the offering thanks to new developed DNA technology that led investigators to Baechle in May 2023.
Authorities had used DNA samples from the baby to help find possible relatives, before eventually leading them to the then 41 year old woman.
Officials approached Baechle for a DNA sample who in turn retained an attorney. To confirm a DNA match, officers went through the woman’s trash, where they discovered a discarded female hygiene product and sent samples to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
There, investigators determined the infant was the woman’s biological child.
Additional DNA testing completed in March 2025 matched Baechle’s DNA to samples collected from an incense stick found with the infant’s body.
Relatives told police they immediately recognized the blue pendant found with the child and were certain it belonged to Baechle. The mother, they said, collected angels and bought an angel ornament each year for Christmas.
The relatives said they had not been in touch with the woman and stated she was living in a van in 2011.
Charges in death of newborn Baby Angel
After the DNA test results came back, authorities with the Winona County Sheriff’s Office charged Baechle with two counts of second-degree manslaughter.
The first count alleges she caused death while committing child neglect or endangerment, and the second count alleges culpable negligence creating an unreasonable risk. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
During a news conference Thursday, Sheriff Ron Ganrude said: ‘For more than 13 years, Baby Angel’s tragic death has weighed heavily on the Winona community.
‘She deserved better than a watery grave. She deserved more than a life cut short. And while her birth mother remained hidden, this community wrapped its arms around this little girl.’
Baechle appeared in court Thursday for her arraignment where she was charged
She’s given a $200,000 unconditional bond and a $20,000 conditional bond.
She had recently been hired to teach one class at Winona State University‘s English department for the spring semester.
In a statement to the outlet, the university said another professor would be taking over.
