South Jersey Mother Accused of Setting Her Baby on Fire Pleads Not Guilty

The 22-year-old South Jersey woman who allegedly set her baby on fire in the middle of the road in January pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child on Monday, the Burlington County Times reports.

The public defender representing Hyphernkemberly Dorvilier, 22, of Pemberton, said she intended to amend the plea to not guilty by reason of insanity or not guilty by diminished capacity, according to the report.

She faces prospect of life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.

She has been in the Burlington County Corrections and Work Release Center in Pemberton Township on $500,000 bail since being arrested Jan. 17.

She was composed during her appearance in court on Monday as 10 people testified on behalf of the deceased baby and Dorvillier, according to the report.

She is due in court for a status conference on June 8.

Officers from the Pemberton Township Police Department were dispatched to Simontown Road just before 11 p.m. on Jan. 16 after a resident called to report the fire in the road.

Upon arrival, police found Dorvilier being held on the ground by resident David Joseph, who had confronted her about the fire, authorities said.

Dorvilier allegedly had a can of WD-40 lubricating spray and a lighter in her jacket pocket. A green Land Rover was also parked on the scene, with the keys outside the SUV, sitting on the ground, authorities said.

Joseph told police he had a problem with illegal dumping in the area recently, and initially thought this might be related.

When he confronted Dorvilier, she said her dog had pooped in her car and she was burning it, authorities said.

After Joseph and his wife protested, Dorvilier promised to put the fire out. When she doused the fire with water, the baby began to cry, authorities said.

Dorvilier attempted to run, and Joseph caught her and held her down while his wife called the police, authorities said.

The umbilical cord and placenta were still attached to the baby, according to authorities.

The baby, later named Angel, was airlifted to Saint Christopher’s Hospital in Philadelphia and was reported to be alive and breathing at that time. The baby died approximately two hours later.

According to Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood, the baby died of smoke inhalation.

Dorvilier had options for dealing with an unwanted baby under New Jersey’s Safe Haven Law.

Under the law, she could have anonymously dropped the baby off at a police station or hospital.

The law states “the parents or someone acting on their behalf can bring a baby less than 30 days old to any hospital emergency room or police station. The New Jersey Department of Children and Families will take the infant into custody and place the infant with a foster or pre-adoptive home.”

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