Recovered; Dec 17, 2004

The Nodaway County Sheriff's Office say they have found a healthy baby girl in Topeka, Kansas. They believe the newborn is the missing fetus they have been looking for -- DNA test results are pending. The baby has been transported to a Topeka hospital. Authorities have arrested a woman they allege came to the home of Bobbie Jo Stinnett -- purportedly to buy a dog -- then strangled her and cut the baby from her womb. Using an assumed name, 36-year-old Lisa M. Montgomery allegedly struck up an online exchange with the 23-year-old, eventually getting driving directions to Stinnett's house. According to a criminal complaint, Montgomery admitted she strangled Bobbie Jo Stinnett and took her baby.

Stinnett's mother, Becky Harper, discovered her daughter's slain body around 3:38 p.m. Thursday afternoon. The affadavit reports Harper called 911 and said it looked "as though her daughter's stomach had exploded." Operators instructed her over the phone on conducting cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but Bobbie Jo did not survive. An AMBER Alert was issued for the missing fetus. By midmorning Friday, a dog breeder from North Carolina who had heard about the AMBER Alert contacted the FBI with information about a rat terrier message board on which Stinnett was active. That tip would lead police to the accused. Investigators learned from checking Stinnett's computer that she had recently exchanged e-mails with a Darlene Fischer who was using the e-mail address fischer4kids@hotmail.com. Authorities allege Fischer was actually Montgomery. The e-mail address led authorities to Montgomery's home in the 32400 block of South Adams Road in Melvern, Kansas. While the house was under surveillance, a car matching the description of the suspect's vehicle arrived. Police found a newborn female infant with Montgomery. Police say Montgomery initially told authorities she had been pregnant and went into labor Thursday while shopping in Topeka. Her husband told investigators that his wife had called him Thursday, said she had gone into labor, and asked him to bring their two older children and meet her at a Long John Silver's restaurant in Topeka. The affidavit said Montgomery claimed she had delivered her baby at the Women's Birthing Center in Topeka. However, the center's records did not support that statement. A motive has not been announced, but Nodaway Sheriff Ben Espey says Montgomery was six months pregnant when she miscarried earlier this year. The baby was recovered at the house and taken to Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center in Topeka for observation. Montgomery has been charged with kidnapping resulting in death. The FBI says Jeb Stinnett has been reunited with the child -- who he has named Victoria Jo.