Charges Filed in Newborn’s Death
A 20-year-old woman has been charged with murder following the discovery of a deceased newborn girl in a field.
Jordyn Kaufman, from McVay Town, faces several serious charges, including first-degree murder, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, abuse of a corpse, concealing a child’s death, and recklessly endangering another person, as reported by court records.
The indictment outlines that, on May 15, police were alerted by a nurse at Lewiston Geisinger Hospital about an infant found left in a garbage bag in a field. According to the criminal complaint, Kaufman had skipped multiple pregnancy appointments and had previously expressed to hospital staff that she didn’t want to have a baby.
After delivering the child alone at home, Kaufman told nurses she left the baby in a field. State police indicated that she admitted to her actions but stated she was afraid of retaliation due to her pregnancy.
The complaint details that Kaufman informed officers she cut the umbilical cord and placenta and disposed of them in her trash. She mentioned holding the baby for about 30 minutes and claimed the infant was still alive when she laid it on the ground.
An autopsy confirmed that the baby was born alive.
Authorities located the deceased infant near a residence on Mount Hope Road in Wayne Township. Reports noted the baby was found with insect bites and fly eggs in her hair and on her body. According to court documents, the day the infant died, outside temperatures ranged between a high of 49 degrees and a low of 44 degrees, with wind speeds reaching 13 miles per hour.
The report also highlighted that earlier that month, the hospital’s director of police and security services had spoken with Kaufman regarding the state’s safe haven law after she missed several prenatal appointments.
Kaufman has been booked into the Mifflin County Jail without bail, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 27.
In Pennsylvania, there are safe evacuation methods that allow unharmed newborns to be legally surrendered to hospitals, fire departments, emergency medical providers, or police stations within 28 days of birth.
