Bail Hearing for Accused Son-Killer?

37-year-old Heather Lindorff of Franklin Township could face a bail hearing on Friday, but right now she is held on $1-million dollars bail charged with killing her 5-year-old adopted son. The Gloucester County Prosecutors office alleges that on December 14th 5-year-old Jacob Lindorff died of blunt force trauma – a beating inflicted by his adoptive mother Heather Lindorff.

Lindorff's 52-year-old husband James is also charged with child abuse for beating the boy on previous occasions. He's out on $25,000 bail. The couple adopted Jacob, his twin brother John and their brother James from Russia just two months before the child's death. The Lindorff's had earlier adopted three girls from Russia they are 17, 11 and 9 years of age. Leslie Margolies is the executive director of an agency that arranges international adoptions. She has no knowledge of the Lindorff case but says adoptions from Russia require strict accountability, with a social worker visiting the home before the adoption and four times after. She said there are about 4,000 Russian adoptions a year. Leslie Margolies/International Adoption Law Center: "What else can be done? You're getting letters from employers, doctors, clergymen; INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) is doing the FBI fingerprints, and criminal record checks, and child abuse clearance. What more can you do except CAT-scans?"

Last year the Division of Youth and Family Services investigated reports of filthy conditions at the Lindorff home. However DYFS says it found everything in order. No one was home Wednesday but James Lindorff said Tuesday night that he and his wife will be cleared. The remaining children are staying with Heather Lindorff's family. Meanwhile in addition to first degree murder, Heather Lindorff is charged with child abuse, child endangerment and aggravated assault.

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: 6 ABC-AP