Posted by: mylifeofcrime | February 21, 2010

Newborn Hopfer murder 8/14/1996 Dayton, OH *Teen mom puts newborn in trash bags and throws away baby in trash; sentenced 15 years – life; gained clemency after 8 years in prison*


Rebecca Hopfer

Rebecca’s Story
Hopfer Meets With Parole Board
Parole Board Says Hopfer Should Be Released
Gov. Taft Grants Rebecca Hopfer Clemency
Rebecca Hopfer: Free Woman
When the bough breaks: can justice be served in neonaticide cases?

Posted in crime, murder, murder in the 20th Century | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

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Responses

  1. It is hieght of inhumenity.

    By: Shah Rukh Khan on February 22, 2010
    at 1:21 am

    Reply

  2. And what’s even crazier is that she now works for the mayors office in centerville ohio

    By: brooke on March 19, 2010
    at 6:58 pm

    Reply

  3. First, Shah Rukh Khan – it’s inhumanity; i-n-h-u-m-a-n-i-t-y. Before you go judging 17yr old kids who make mistakes, learn to spell. And, what’s so crazy about her working in the Mayor’s (with an apostrophe, Brooke) office? She furthered her education and got a job. At least she’s contributing to society now, paying her taxes. There was no further point in her continued incarceration, which would have burdened the tax payers. She was young, scared and made a mistake. She paid with years of her life. And now she works. She doesn’t sit around on her rear, crying for herself and sucking off the system. She has moved on. Time everyone else moves on, too. There are bigger tragedies going on TODAY! And they are perpetrated by individuals more mature than Rebecca Hopfer at 17. I wish her the best, and all of God’s blessings. She pays everyday for that mistake.

    By: Tracy on April 26, 2010
    at 6:07 pm

    Reply

    • Tracy,

      Every murder, no matter how high profile or low profile are tragedies, none bigger than another. What Rebecca did was heinous beyond words. She killed her newborn and threw that infant out in the trash. How much worse can you get? And I hope she remembers what she did every single day of her life. “She has moved on” – wow, that says a lot. It says that the life of that newborn was just a fleeting thought. You did not even express any compassion or sympathy for that infant, you know, the victim, the one who was murdered. Who did not get a chance to have a life. Learn to have some empathy for the victim, not the killer. The victims should never be forgotten.

      And according to the mayor’s office, she does not work there.

      By: mylifeofcrime on April 26, 2010
      at 6:31 pm

      Reply

    • amen and amen…

      By: sara cole on February 24, 2012
      at 10:11 am

      Reply

    • She knew exactly what she was doing. In my opinion, the tears she shed, were only to make others feel sorry for her so she could get away with murder. “Oh; poor me”

      By: Sherry on February 24, 2012
      at 10:34 am

      Reply

  4. bigger crimes are committed everyday but actual adults, much bigger crimes
    .
    there are so many people that stood with her. I hope she does well. Only god can judge her actions.

    By: sam on September 26, 2010
    at 2:11 pm

    Reply

    • Sam,

      Are you for real? Killing your newborn is not a “big crime”? Murder is murder, regardless of the age of the victim. Just because the victim was a newborn does not mean that the newborn deserved this or was any less a victim. Maybe you do condone murder, but I do not.

      By: mylifeofcrime on September 26, 2010
      at 6:37 pm

      Reply

  5. yes what she did was wrong, but she did pay for it. Yes it was tragic what she did, but how long should she have to sit in jail for it when obviously she is sorry. In God’s eyes no sin is worse than another, you judging her is just as sinful as what she did. God is the ultimate judge and if he did not want her out of jail she’d still be in there.

    By: coltslove on September 26, 2010
    at 2:14 pm

    Reply

    • coltslove,

      So, if everyone who commits murder says they are remorseful, should we let them out of jail too? Was this newborn child’s life worth nothing? It amazes me how many people completely disregard the actual victim in all of this. You never once even mentioned the newborn who was ruthlessly murdered. How would you feel if someone did this to a loved one of yours? And if that person said they were sorry, should they just go about their business?

      By: mylifeofcrime on September 26, 2010
      at 6:40 pm

      Reply

  6. Note from blog owner:

    I realize that many of you only care about the murderer in this case, however, to be blunt, this is MY blog. If you cannot say something about the victim in this case, you know, the newborn infant that did not have any chance to live, then don’t bother to comment as I will not approve any more comments that are just about the murderer. Yes, she is out of jail and I hope that she becomes a productive citizen and remembers what she did every single day for the rest of her life. Please remember, she KILLED her newborn infant. That is not in dispute. That newborn infant is not alive. Do not come here to give praise to the killer. I am sure there are plenty of places you can go to talk about how wonderful a killer is. This is NOT one of those places. Here, remember the life of the newborn who never had a chance to have a life.

    By: mylifeofcrime on September 26, 2010
    at 6:44 pm

    Reply

    • Yes it is in dispute if she killed the infant or not. No one was in that bathroom but her. Babies can be born in the hospital with the cord wrapped around their neck with doctors and nurses standing by. My own son almost was. Thank God he was not. But I have also taken care of a child who was brain damaged from lack of oxygen from the cord being wrapped around his neck. He almost died. He thankfully was born in a hospital. I went to school with a girl who hid her pregnancy from her parents until she was in labor. This now women is for sure guilty of not getting prenatal care. But then so would every poor pregnant women in American that doesn’t see a dr. during her pregnancy. The question is: Has she grown. Can she be a productive citizen and is she a danger of committing another crime?

      **note from blog owner** kay, your comments about abortion will not be approved. My blog is not a place to debate abortion. Nor is abortion a part of this case.

      By: kay on August 1, 2011
      at 9:24 am

      Reply

  7. A jury found her guilty; however, that doesn’t mean she is. Frankly, it is still up in the air as to whether or not she actually killed the baby. IMO, even if she did kill the baby, 8 years was enough. It’s about intent and level of malice. She was 17, scared, and sometimes people just make DUMB decisions. If she actually didn’t kill the baby and it was stillborn, then she was wrongly accused based on conniving cops (and that’s not a foreign concept). As for this being your blog, if you only want comments that mirror your thoughts/feelings, 1. state that in the beginning, although that would make for stale conversation.

    By: what's done is done on October 23, 2010
    at 2:58 pm

    Reply

    • It should be about the VICTIM and about JUSTICE. Whether it was a stillborn birth or not is a scientific fact. Not opinion. If the newborn took a breathe, it was NOT stillborn.

      And murder is not just a “dumb” mistake. What if someone came in and killed your newborn? Or any other loved one? Would that be only worth 8 years in prison? I know that my sister-in-law’s killer only spent 8 years in prison and our family believes that her life was sure worth more than 8 years. Length of life does not mean that their life was worth so little.

      By: mylifeofcrime on October 24, 2010
      at 7:48 am

      Reply

    • EXCELLENT replay….I agree with you on every point! It is still

      up in the air as to whether or not she actually killed the child. God

      knows. Now,being that she WAS basically a KID,served almost

      9 yrs,let it be. She is educated,remorseful for situation,and will,

      hopefully,in time,put her life totally back together. I pray that God

      will bless her and enrich her life.I am not the judge.

      By: bluejean47 on October 6, 2011
      at 5:46 am

      Reply

      • It is amazing how many people justify a baby killer’s behavior. If it was your child killed, would you be so easy going on that person? Yes the newborn was hers, but that makes it worse.

        By: mylifeofcrime on October 6, 2011
        at 2:58 pm

        Reply

  8. I agree. A jury found her guilty…therefore, she is guilty. An 8 year sentence for a murder, that she refuses to take responsibility for, is not excessive. Throwing a baby in the trash is not a “mistake”.

    The main problem for this case, in my opinion, is that there was no “loved one” crying out for justice for this murdered child…no voice for the child except the “big bad” prosecutor. When there are no tears for a victim, the only voice heard is that of the offender.

    However, since she is now a member of society, it is my prayer that she stays a productive member and is able to continue life crime-free.

    By: MiamiPros on November 21, 2010
    at 4:02 pm

    Reply

  9. So, the day after she put the baby out in the trash (and checked on it MORE THAN ONCE to be sure it stopped crying)….SHE WAS PARTYING WITH FRIENDS … and made the comment … “glad I can finally get in to my clothes again”…. does all her “supporters” realize she is a liar with no remorse.?…

    By: m rhodes on December 15, 2010
    at 5:13 pm

    Reply

    • Where did you get this information from? I watched and read many sources on this case and never heard this mentioned.

      By: kay on August 1, 2011
      at 9:27 am

      Reply

      • fyi, I lived in Centerville at the time, and called 911 myself to report to the police what she had done when I found out

        Website

        e what she did

        By: sunshine on August 1, 2011
        at 3:12 pm

        Reply

    • Exactly; I souley agree with you 100%

      By: Sherry on February 24, 2012
      at 10:38 am

      Reply

  10. The babies now better off in heaven, but it makes me wonder what has push this geneartion so far that they can’t confide in the support of their own parents to deal there mistakes. Society pressures can often lead to greater moral sins.

    By: Jafana on October 5, 2011
    at 11:09 am

    Reply

  11. Exactly, she always said the infant was not alive and nobody proved otherwise..

    By: jeff quarles on February 24, 2012
    at 10:05 am

    Reply

    • Jeff,

      The autopsy showed that the baby took a breath. She was born alive.

      By: mylifeofcrime on February 24, 2012
      at 3:29 pm

      Reply

  12. I think they should’ve given you life or the death penalty! Why didn’t you call an ambulance to go to the hospital when you went into labor??? Unless you didn’t want to because you had a plan to let your baby die the whole time? She was only 4 pounds! That’s grounds for immediate medical assistance. There is no excuse that you will ever express to anyone that will be good enough to make what you did to that poor; innocent baby girl “okay”. You should have been put in prison for the rest of your life. You are saying ” What do I have to show for my life?” You told NO ONE that you were pregnant. How can you even smile? Two of my children died. My beautiful babies were ripped out of my arms by NO choice of my own. I will NEVER see them again! HOW DARE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don’t see how you can even have a smile on your face. They should have kept you behind bars forever. I hope you live with what you did every day for the rest of your life. In my opinion, You are nothing more than a cold blooded heartless killer. I honestly believe that the time you spent in prison was not nearly enough. How does it feel to know that you threw your baby girl in the trash? It must’ve been nice to be able to fit in your old clothes again. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!! You disgust me!!!!!

    By: Sherry on February 24, 2012
    at 10:15 am

    Reply

  13. P.S….. I live with the tragity of loosing my children every day. I feel like my heart is dying. How can you do this? How can you live with yourself?

    By: Sherry on February 24, 2012
    at 10:22 am

    Reply

  14. My last comment was for Sunshine

    By: Sherry on February 24, 2012
    at 10:39 am

    Reply

  15. The Prosecutor in that case is a disgrace

    By: DOM on February 24, 2012
    at 10:47 am

    Reply


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