Arrest Made in Connection with Kentucky State Police Cold Case Death Investigation in Madison County

RICHMOND, Ky. (January 7, 2026) – Kentucky State Police Post 7 Detectives, with assistance from DESI East, KSP Intelligence Branch, and the KSP Forensic Laboratory, arrested one individual in connection with a cold case investigation dating back to 1991.

Jennifer Cummins, 55, of Fairfax, Virginia, was arrested yesterday, January 6th, 2026, by the Fairfax County Police Fugitive Tracking and Apprehension Team. The arrest stems from the investigation into the death of an unidentified female infant, known as Baby Jane Doe, who was discovered at the former Richmond Landfill in Madison County in 1991 after being located by a sanitation worker.

Following an investigation, Kentucky State Police detectives, with assistance from the State Medical Examiner, determined the infant was born alive and healthy before being placed in a dumpster on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University. Despite investigative efforts at the time, the case later went cold.

In recent years, Post 7 Detectives re-examined the case using advancements in forensic science and investigative technology. As a result of collaborative investigative efforts, new leads were developed identifying Cummins as a person of interest. Detectives traveled to Virginia, where information obtained during the investigation was corroborated.

In late 2025, the investigation was presented to a Madison County Grand Jury, which returned an indictment charging Cummins with the murder of Baby Jane Doe. Cummins is currently lodged in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, awaiting extradition to Kentucky.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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