Ga. mom pleads not guilty to killing infant who was found in couch cushion

SAVANNAH, Ga. (TCD) -- A 33-year-old woman pleaded not guilty last week to murder and other charges two months after her young child was found dead in her couch.

On Aug. 3, Chatham County Police Department officers responded to a home on the 100 block of Quacco Road and located a deceased child. The infant’s mother, Jennifer Cooper, was still on the scene, and she was arrested on charges of murder, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of and use of drug-related objects.

Court records show Cooper was denied bond.

WSAV-TV reports she appeared in court Thursday, Oct. 5, and entered the not guilty plea.

Both Cooper and the child reportedly had meth in their system.

According to WSAV, a detective testified at Cooper’s hearing and said another detective "observed suspicious injuries to the baby’s neck, back, swelling near the eyes, blood on the baby’s face, and then an indentation on top of the head of the baby."

The child was reportedly discovered deceased in the couch cushion. A year ago, another of her children died on the couch from sudden infant death syndrome. WSAV reports Cooper has not faced any charges in connection with that infant’s death.

Noble reportedly said Cooper "did not recall how any of the injuries occurred to the baby and stated that they must’ve happened when she was laying on top of the child," according to WJCL-TV.

MORE:

• The Chatham County Police Department has charged a mother with the murder of her infant, 8/4/2023 - Chatham County Police Department
• Jennifer Cooper pleads not guilty to infant’s murder - WSAV
• Chatham County woman accused of murder in baby's death had a previous child die - WJCL
• State of Georgia vs. Jennifer Lee Cooper