At abuse trial, cashier recalls twins' visit to store

BERNIE WEISENFELD

Courier-Post

Two twin boys -- one of whom had a bruised and scabbed face -- were in a Glassboro store less than two weeks before one of them died in what prosecutors call a case of child abuse, an employee testified Tuesday.

Karen Murphy, a cashier at Glassboro Thrift Village, testified she could not say whether the injuries were on the face of 5-year-old Jacob Lindorff or his brother.

But Assistant Gloucester County Prosecutor Mary Pyffer argued Murphy saw the marks on the face of Jacob, who died of a head injury on Dec. 14, 2001.

The wounds were "the same marks already in evidence' in photographs of Jacob's lifeless body, Pyffer said.

Jacob's mother -- Heather Lindorff, 37, of Franklin -- is charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault, child endangerment and neglect.

Her husband James, 54, is charged with neglect.

He is a co-defendant in the trial.

The defense contends Jacob was abused by his biological mother in Russia before his adoption.

Reach Bernie Weisenfeld at (856) 251-3345 or bweisenfeld@courierpost online.com