GLOUCESTER WOMAN CHARGED IN ADOPTED SON'S DEATH
Press of Atlantic City, The (NJ)
Author: Associated Press
Dateline: TRENTON
A woman charged in the death of her 5-year-old adopted son, who was pronounced dead at South Jersey Hospital-Newcomb Medical Center in Vineland, was investigated by the state once before over a complaint that her Franklinville, Gloucester County, home was filthy and littered with animal feces.
But the April 2001 allegation against Heather G. Lindorff and her husband, James, was not substantiated, Division of Youth and Family Services spokesman Joseph Delmar said Wednesday.
"When the caseworker did go out there, they saw no evidence of animal feces lying around," Delmar said.
Eight months later, one of the couple's six adopted children died of blunt head trauma while in the care of Heather Lindorff, 37, and now she has been charged with murder.
She was being held Wednesday in the Gloucester County Women's Facility in Clarksboro on $1 million bail. Additional charges include child endangerment, child abuse and aggravated assault.
Her husband, 52, was charged with child abuse and released on $25,000 bail.
"You'll hear our side of the story from the court trial," he told Philadelphia's WPVI-TV.
Jacob was pronounced dead at the hospital on Dec. 14, about an hour after police were called to the family's home about 25 miles south of Camden and found the boy in respiratory distress.
The couple were arrested Tuesday following an investigation by the major crimes unit of the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office and Franklin Township police.
The Lindorffs adopted Jacob, his twin brother, John, and their 7-year-old brother, James, from Russia in late October.
Their other children, also adopted from Russia in recent years, are Jessica, 17, Jaime, 11, and Jacqueline, 9.
DYFS workers have been communicating with the children through an interpreter because of a language barrier, Delmar said.
The children have been living in Vineland with Heather Lindorff's father since Dec. 15, the day after Jacob died, Delmar said.
"As long as the relatives are willing to care for the children, they'll remain there," he said.
The case will be reviewed by a grand jury, said Dianna Reed-Rolando, a spokeswoman for the Prosecutor's Office.
In a similar case in March 2001, a Hunterdon County couple were indicted on charges of aggravated manslaughter, child endangerment and witness tampering in connection with the death of their adopted son Viktor Alexander. [Matthey]
The Hunterdon County medical examiner determined that the 7-year-old Russian child died from cardiac arrhythmia due to hypothermia and ruled the death a homicide. That case is still pending.
From 1997 through 1999, Russia exported more children for adoption than any other country, with most going to U.S. parents. More than 4,000 a year arrived in the U.S. during that period. In 2000, China slipped into first place, according to the State Department's Office of Children's Issues.