Mother pleads not guilty

Faces a charge of murder in infant's death

Jennifer Ward of Peabody pleaded not guilty yesterday in Salem Superior Court to a murder charge for allegedly shaking her 9-month-old baby Jocelyn Ward Anderson to death. Ward was arrested at her parents' home in Maine. (Linsey Tait/Associated Press/Pool)

SALEM - A Peabody mother accused of shaking her baby to death pleaded not guilty yesterday to a charge of first-degree murder.

Jennifer Ward, 37, appeared in Essex County Superior Court yesterday after being extradited from Maine earlier in the day.

She was arrested Dec. 21 at her parents' home in Kennebunk after a grand jury returned a murder indictment in the Nov. 21 death of her 9-month-old daughter, Jocelyn Ward Anderson.

The cause of death was abusive head trauma, commonly called shaken baby syndrome.

Wearing a blue sweater, dark jeans, and leopard-print ballet flats, Ward said only "not guilty," during her two-minute arraignment.

A bond hearing was scheduled for Jan. 2.

Officials from the Department of Social Services said yesterday that the agency became involved with Ward shortly after Jocelyn's Feb. 22 birth, when both she and the baby tested positive for undisclosed drugs.

Ward was allowed to take her baby home after she agreed to complete a drug treatment program, but in late March, the agency received a report of neglect.

"DSS continued to work extensively with the mother and in mid-July, after completing her programs, the Lynn Juvenile Court awarded custody to the mother," Richard Nangle, DSS spokesman, wrote in an e-mail.

The court dismissed a care and protection order in September.

Ward's lawyer, Thomas Barrett of Salem, said he had no comment for reporters after the hearing.

The family of the baby's father also appeared in court.

A woman who identified herself as Jocelyn Anderson, the baby's paternal grandmother, declined to speak about the case.

"[My son] is very upset," she said.

"I don't want to say anything until this is all over."