Jury Convicts Sicklerville, NJ, Mother for “Absolutely brutal murder” of Her 17-month-old Son
A jury has convicted a 44-year-old woman from Sicklerville for the death of her 17-month-old son in 2018.
Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay says following a nine-day trial, Heather Reynolds was convicted of murder, possession of methamphetamine, and endangering the welfare of a child.
On May 10, 2018, Gloucester Township Police officers were called to a home on Marcia Court in Sicklerville for a report of an unresponsive child. The child was pronounced dead a short time later. A post-mortem examination determined the child died from asphyxia.
Investigators determined, "blood tests showed trace levels of isopropyl alcohol, often used in detergents and antiseptics, and acetone in [the child's] body," according to a report published by NJ.com in 2019.
Police believe the child died when, "a wipe containing isopropyl alcohol and detergent was placed over the mouth and nose."
Reynolds was arrested on June 13, 2019, and has been held since then.
An assistant prosecutor with Camden County, who described the crime as, "an absolutely brutal murder," told a judge Reynolds suffocated her toddler because she felt the boy was getting in the way of an extramarital affair.
A lawyer for Reynolds denied those allegations in 2019.
Reynolds is scheduled to be sentenced in October.