A second woman has been arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder in the death of a newborn found in the back of a pickup near Strasburg, authorities said Wednesday.
Jennifer Lynn Teeters, 23, whom authorities described as a friend of the infant’s mother, is scheduled to appear in Arapahoe County Court on Monday to be advised of charges. She also faces a charge of child abuse resulting in death, authorities said.
The infant’s mother, Christie Lee Cole, 23, also faces first-degree-murder in addition to child-abuse charges.
The infant was found dead last week amid trash in the back of a 1971 Chevrolet truck at the Country Gardens Mobile Home Park near Strasburg.
Cole, who authorities said gave birth to a full-term or near- full-term child in October, was arrested and is being held at the county jail without bail.
During the investigation, it was determined that Teeters was associated with Cole after the birth of the infant, authorities said.
She was arrested Tuesday night initially on a child-abuse charge, punishable by up to 24 years in prison if convicted. Bail was initially set at $250,000.
Teeters was to appear in district court Wednesday morning for advisement, but before the hearing, other leads resulted in Teeters being charged with the additional violation of first-degree murder, authorities said.
On Aug. 9, Arapahoe sheriff’s deputies responded to the mobile-home park at 1200 S. County Road 157 after a man who had bought the Chevy reported finding the decomposed remains of an infant in a small box stuffed inside a trash bag filled with leaves.
Staff writer Manny Gonzales can be reached at 303-820-1537 or mgonzales@denverpost.com.
