Woman arrested over murder of ‘Baby Faith’ found dead in reservoir 23 years ago
A woman has been charged in the 1996 cold case murder of a newborn dubbed ‘Baby Faith’ found dead in a remote reservoir.
Jennifer Katalinich, 42, was arrested this week and charged with first-degree murder and second-degree murder for the homicide of a victim under 12-years-old in Larimer County, Colorado, according to jail records.
The Larimer County Sheriff’s office did not comment on whether Katalinich’s arrest was connected to Baby Faith’s killing, but her offense date is listed in August, 1996, which is when the newborn’s body was discovered.
Authorities reportedly located Katalinich in Erie, Maryland using DNA testing, authorities said during a press conference on Tuesday. Prosecutors did not reveal any new evidence because the ‘did not want to jeopardize the case.’
Baby Faith’s body was found by two boys in the waters of the Horsetooth Reservoir on August 24, 1996 – just two days after she was born. Katalinich would have been 18 years old at the time, with investigators yet to say how she is connected to the infant.
Faith was wrapped in a plastic garbage bag floating just under the surface of the water. An investigation later revealed she suffocated in the plastic bag hours after she was born, 9 News reported.
Police responded to the scene, but were unable to determine the identity of the the baby, so the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office named her Baby Faith.
Local community members were devastated by the news of the infant’s death and worked with the sheriff’s office to donate a grave site and head stone for the child.
A funeral was held for the Baby Faith and, although no one knew who she was, many showed up to mourn the her death.
Dec admits fears he'd 'lost' Ant over pal's alcohol addiction in emotional chatIn 2006, investigators said they planned to retest Baby Faith’s DNA with hopes determine the infant’s identity or the identity of her parents.
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