U Of I Student Charged With Murder In Infant’s Death
Bousfield Hall on the University of Illinois' Urbana campus. U of I Housing
Murder charges have been filed against a University of Illinois student who’s accused of suffocating her newborn son in her dorm room. Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz says 20-year old Lindsey Johnson of Monee faces 20 to 60 years in prison, if convicted.
The sophomore also faces a charge of child endangerment, and one count of concealment of a homicidal death.
Rietz says U of I Police were called to Johnson’s dorm, Bousfield Hall, on Sunday, March 13th, after a witness heard crying and groaning sounds from a bathroom.
After initially telling officers she was ill, officers returned when a witness reported hearing a baby crying.
Johnson later admitted to officers that she may have been trying to quiet the child by putting a towel over his mouth, and confessed to hiding the baby under her bed when police made their initial visit.
An analysis of Johnson’s phone showed a history of searches for information pregnancy symptoms and home abortions. A preliminary determination by a forensic pathologist indicates the baby was born alive.
The News-Gazette reports Johnson is free on bond after making her first court appearance earlier Tuesday.