Lilly mother accused of killing son
Bowser heard voices telling her to smother her 5-year-old child
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A Lilly mother accused of killing her young son is behind bars without bail.
Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees identified the child as 5-year-old Samson Bowser during a news conference about the case Tuesday afternoon, and stated an autopsy was scheduled for later in the day.
According to court documents, Jennifer Lynnette Bowser, 41, was arraigned Monday night before Magisterial District Judge John Prebish Jr. on a charge of criminal homicide and felony counts of aggravated assault - victim less than 13 years of age and strangulation. Bail has been denied.
Her preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 20 before Prebish.
Court documents state that police and EMS were dispatched at 2:34 p.m. Monday to a home on the 100 block of Cosey Lane, Lilly, Cresson Township, for a report of a child in cardiac arrest.
On scene, a female witness was found performing CPR on the child with a 911 dispatcher giving directions via speaker phone. EMS arrived and determined the child was unable to be revived, the report states.
During the investigation, police learned that Bowser and the child lived at Martha's Manor with the boy's grandmother. The last time the child was seen alive was on Sunday, a witness said.
On Monday, when the witness went to check on the boy, she found him lying on the floor.
She moved him across the hallway to where there was enough room to perform CPR, she told police.
Bowser told police she barricaded herself and her son into her room in an effort to keep him safe. When she was getting the boy ready for bed on Sunday, voices began saying that the cops were coming and were going to shoot through the wall and kill the child.
Bowser told police she smothered the boy in the early morning hours after a voice told her it would be better to smother him than him being shot or being with her. She said voices told her to smother him so he didn't have to go through "H-E-Double hockey sticks," court documents state.
Police said Bowser had bruises, scratches and bite marks, indicating the child fought back.
Court documents state that Bowser had been evaluated at Nulton Diagnostics on Jan. 30 after hearing voices, but the family has not received an official diagnosis.
Cambria County District Attorney Gregory J. Neugebauer said the case was difficult for everyone involved in the investigation. "Many of us are parents," he said. "I think we all hugged our kids a little harder when we got home last night."
"This morning ... for all of us was maybe a little tougher morning than usual," he added.
When asked during the news conference if the boy was enrolled in school, Neugebauer said he had just turned 5 years old in January. It is unknown if the child was in daycare, Neugebauer said, then added "Frankly, I sorta pray not. I don't know how you explain to other 5-year-olds that your friend is not coming back."