Arrest in 'Baby Angel' case stuns those who know the Winona mother of 2
Apr. 24—WINONA, Minn. — The announcement of charges filed in Winona's "Baby Angel" cold case has stunned people familiar with the woman in custody.
Jennifer Baechle, 43, a Winona mother of two and Winona State graduate known for supporting performing arts and volunteering at local music festivals and fundraisers, faces two counts of second-degree manslaughter related to the death of an infant in 2011. She was arrested on Thursday morning.
The charges were announced Thursday, April 24, 2025.
Baechle is a longtime resident of Winona and a graduate of WSU. She has been married since 2016, has two children and is involved in the community, volunteering her time with nonprofits, including cooking for a church fundraiser for the Winona Immigration Network, people who know Baechle said.
Retired Winona County Sheriff Dave Brand, who led the initial investigation into the infant's death, said it isn't the profile of a suspect he expected.
"I'm kind of surprised, and I'm wondering why she had to do what she did, you know, and now she's got a couple of kids," he said.
Baechle is accused of placing her newborn baby in a tote bag along with angel figurines and ornaments, incense and other items and placing the bag in the Mississippi River in 2011.
More than 150 Winona-area community members attended a funeral for the infant shortly after she was found in September 2011. Community donations funded a grave marker and a bank account Brand opened continues to fund the ongoing efforts to maintain the grave and provide fresh flowers for the marker.
"For more than 13 years, Baby Angel's tragic death has weighed heavily on the hearts of this community," said Winona County Sheriff Ron Ganrude. "We are grateful to be able to provide answers for this community and for Baby Angel."
Baechle had also been an adjunct faculty member at Winona State University, where she graduated. She was teaching a class in the English department for spring semester 2025.
On Thursday, the university announced Baechle was replaced by another faculty member who will teach the course for the remainder of the semester, according to a statement from WSU.
"This is a shock to the Winona State University community, and our hearts go out to those involved," the statement said.
After graduating from WSU, she taught English and lived abroad in Kazakhstan from 2008 to 2010, trained teachers there and returned to Winona in December 2010, according to U.S. Peace Corps records.
According to a search warrant filed in Winona County, sheriff's deputies investigating the death of the infant spoke with Baechle's family, who said they had no personal contact with Baechle in 2011. Baechle had been living in her van in the Winona area that year, they told investigators. Her family members also recognized items found with the infant in the bag and told investigators that Baechle collected angels and that they gave her an angel ornament every Christmas.
Baechle was also a volunteer board member with the Bluff Country Coop in Winona, serving as an officer on the board through 2024.
Baechle was a fixture at live music and performing arts events in the community befriending musicians and organizers. She would volunteer her time at Winona area music festivals.
People familiar with Baechle through music and the arts declined to speak on the record about Baechle. However, a common word among people who know her was "stunned" about the news.
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