NJ Woman Who Drowned 3-Year-Old Daughter Found Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — A Florham Park woman accused of drowning and killing her three-year-old daughter has been found not criminally responsible for the death, according to her attorneys.

Jeanine Glass, 44, was charged with first-degree murder in July 2025 after police learned she killed her daughter in a bathtub, authorities said.

Related: NJ 3-Year-Old’s Cause Of Death Confirmed, Mother Locked In Psychiatric Facility

During a bench trial last month, in which a judge alone rendered a verdict rather than a jury, Glass was declared not guilty by reason of insanity.

“We are grateful for the court’s ruling, which recognizes the serious mental illness that resulted in this tragedy and enables Jeanine to continue receiving specialized psychiatric care,” said Glass’s attorney, Anne Collart. “The decision acknowledges that mental illness is complex and requires the compassionate administration of justice.”

On July 6, 2025, at around 10:45 p.m., Florham Park police responded to a medical episode call at a Woods End Road home to assist Glass, who was unresponsive and “semi-conscious” when they arrived, according to authorities.

First responders found Glass, in wet clothes, unresponsive on the first floor of the home, police said. Glass was treated on the scene and eventually brought to a nearby hospital.

Officers went upstairs to gather more information on the medical episode, discovering Glass' three-year-old daughter, unresponsive and clothed, face down in a water-filled bathtub, police said.

Authorities immediately tried to resuscitate the girl before transporting her to a nearby hospital for treatment, where she was later pronounced dead, according to authorities.

The girl’s cause of death was drowning, with the “manner of death to be homicide,” according to prosecutors.

Glass was charged with first-degree murder and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. She was placed in the Morris County Correctional Facility following her hospital release and later transferred to a psychiatric facility.

Collart said Glass’s "longstanding history of mental illness" played a major role in the incident, adding that her illness was well-managed with psychiatric care many years prior.

“Jeanine’s family thanks the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office for the sensitivity they showed in handling this case,” Collart said. “As long-time advocates for mental health awareness, her family understands the importance of Jeanine receiving the professional medical care and support she needs, which she will now be afforded under ongoing court supervision. This continues to be a challenging time for the family, and they respectfully ask for continued prayers and privacy.”

Glass will continue to undergo psychiatric treatment, with a Krol hearing scheduled for April.