"Newborn" BRADFORD - 4 Days - Whitmore CA

Mom Accused In Starvation Death Of Secret Baby

Detective: Bradford's Infant Lived 4 Days; She Then Hid Body

POSTED: 2:39 pm PST November 9, 2011

WHITMORE, Calif. (KCRA) -- A 23-year-old Shasta County woman will face an open murder charge after concealing her pregnancy, delivering and then starving her baby, who died four days after birth, the Sheriff's Department said.
The baby's mummified body was found in a utility closet nearly two months after the infant died, according to a news release issued Wednesday.
Jessica Bradford is being held at the Shasta County Jail, with her arraignment set for Wednesday, deputies said.
An employee of the Julian Academy -- a Christian boarding school in Whitmore, where she got pregnant and gave birth -- Bradford delivered her baby around the time of Sept. 19, Detective Brian Jackson said in the statement.
Bradford didn't name the infant "so there was no personal attachment," she told Jackson, adding that she kept her pregnancy hidden from everyone -- including her boyfriend of three years.
Bradford first told the detective her baby was a still born, but later confessed the infant died after four days, said Jackson, who interviewed the suspect at length.
The 23-year-old said she considered giving her baby up for adoption, but opted against the idea.
Bradford admitted she neglected to feed the infant but told Jackson she tried to give the baby water when the infant cried, the detective said.
Bradford kept the infant in an empty home on campus for days, checking on the baby periodically while she still worked, visited with her boyfriend and drove to Redding at least twice, the release states.
When the infant died, Bradford tucked the body in a laundry basket in her room. She realized someone might have seen the decomposing body and decided to move it to a utility closet last Friday.
She said she didn't tell anyone about the baby "for fear of scrutiny," and "because she did not want to affect [her boyfriend's] and her life," the release states.
She also faces a charge of willful harm or injury to a child.
No additional details were released.

Read more: http://www.kcra.com/news/29729385/detail.html#ixzz1dJgRVhMn

http://www.redding.com/news/2011/dec/09/babys-death-hearing-delayed/

An extensive investigation into the death of a 4-day-old baby girl has forced the postponement of next week's scheduled preliminary hearing for the Shasta County woman accused of allegedly allowing her to starve to death.

Jessica Nicole Bradford, who appeared briefly Friday in Shasta County Superior Court, is charged with murder, child abuse and a related enhancement in connection with her infant daughter's death. She has pleaded not guilty.

Shasta County Senior Deputy District Attorney Kelly Kafel told Superior Court Judge Wilson Curle discovery evidence, including sheriff's investigative and autopsy reports, have not yet been provided to the district attorney's office for review.

Sheriff's investigators and others are continuing to gather evidence and conduct interviews, she said. Her office does have a brief summary of events filed by the sheriff's office.

Kafel said after Friday's court proceeding investigators have interviewed 110 people in the case.

Bradford, 23, had been scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Thursday to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to warrant a trial.

But that hearing was put off since the discovery evidence has not yet been provided. Attorneys will return to court on Friday to reschedule it.

In addition, Kafel told Curle the public defender's office, which represents Bradford, should quickly move to hire a forensic expert to inspect the baby's body because the body is continuing to rapidly deteriorate.

Bradford, who remains in the Shasta County jail with bail set at $1 million,



was arrested on Nov. 7, a day after the baby's mummified body was found at the Julian Youth Academy in Whitmore when a school employee alerted authorities.

Bradford worked as a staff member at the private Christian boarding school for troubled teens.

Bradford originally told sheriff's detectives she gave birth to the child on Sept. 19, but believed the baby was stillborn, according to the brief summary of events report filed by the sheriff's office in Superior Court.

During subsequent interviews with investigators, however, Bradford changed her story, admitting the baby was not stillborn and had lived for about four days, the sheriff's report said.

Bradford also told detectives she never told anyone about the baby or her pregnancy because she feared she would lose her job and her lifestyle.

Bradford said she kept the baby hidden in a laundry basket in her room for about a month and a half after she died, but later secreted the body in a utility closet.

She faces life in prison if tried and convicted of the charges against her.

Why in the h@ll didn't she give the baby up. She could have dropped it off at a hospital or safe place and nobody would ever know according safe haven laws. What an idiot. She is old enough to know better.

Giving the child up would have been and altogether positive alternative. I dont know how starving a child could possibly "not effect" her AND her 3 year boyfriends life. Because now shes in jail. Hes discusted and her life is crumbling before her. I was given up as a toddler and adopted. theres nothing neggative about it at all. I love my family now. Adoption is an amazing journey. Dont kill you child. Give them a chance at a better life.

The July trial for a Shasta County woman accused of starving her
4-day-old baby to death was put off Monday in Shasta County Superior
Court until Sept. 25.


Attorneys were granted the two-month delay in the trial of Jessica Nicole Bradford, 23, after a settlement conference.


Another settlement conference has been scheduled for Aug. 27.


But Kelly Kafel, Shasta County senior deputy district attorney, said a
plea bargain has not been offered to Bradford, who had been set to
begin standing trial July 17.


Bradford is charged with murder, child abuse and a related
enhancement in connection with her infant daughter's death. She has
pleaded not guilty and faces life in prison if tried and convicted of
the charges against her.


Bradford, who remains in the Shasta County jail with bail set at $1
million, was arrested Nov. 7, a day after the baby's mummified body was
found at the




Julian Youth Academy in Whitmore when a school employee alerted authorities.


Bradford worked as a staff member at the private Christian boarding school for troubled teens.


Bradford was a former student at the school and had been a staff worker there for three or four years.


According to a sheriff's report, Bradford originally told detectives
she gave birth to the child Sept. 19 but believed the baby was
stillborn.


Bradford said she kept the baby hidden in a laundry basket in her
room for about a month and a half after she died but later moved the
body into a utility closet.


She said she did not tell anyone that she was pregnant, including her
boyfriend of about three years, who has not been identified.


Kafel said Bradford apparently was able to hide her pregnancy by wearing baggy clothing.


During subsequent interviews with investigators, however, Bradford
changed her story, admitting the baby was not stillborn and had lived
for about four days, the sheriff's report said.


Bradford told deputies she kept the baby in a vacant residence on campus and would occasionally check on it.


She continued to go to work, see her boyfriend and drove to Redding at least twice for personal business, the report said.


She also told sheriff's investigators she didn't feed the baby but
tried to give the girl water when she cried, the sheriff's report said.


"Bradford admitted she neglected to care for the baby by not feeding
it or being able to provide breast milk for feeding," the sheriff's
report said.


Bradford also told detectives she never told anyone about the baby or
her pregnancy because she feared she would lose her job and her
lifestyle.
http://www.redding.com/news/2012/may/21/trial-for-woman-accused-of-starving-baby-put-off/