LUMBERTON, Texas — A woman from Orange and a couple from Ohio have been indicted on felony charges involving the sale of a baby in connection with an adoption in 2022.
Lumberton Police and the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case and sought indictments for Harley Dee Matthews, 28, of Orange and Mitchell and Jerrica Jeane, of Ohio.
Matthews and Jerrica Elee Jeane, 34, are each facing a charge of "sale or purchase of a child" as well as a charge of "health care fraud" equal to or greater than $30,000 but less than $150,000, according to Sgt. Chad Wilson of the Lumberton Police. Wilson investigated the case.
Both charges are third degree felonies and both women are being held in the Hardin County Jail on bonds totaling $20,000.
"Many children in this country and across the world who are victimized, who are exploited and adoption laws are in place to make sure that that doesn't happen'," said Chief of Jefferson County District Attorney's Family Law Division Randi King.
The child celebrated their second birthday just four days ago.
Background
Mitchell Leigh Jeane, 34, has been charged with "sale or purchase of a child” and is also facing two charges from 2011, one a first degree felony and one a second degree felony, involving the sexual assault of a different child.
Mitchell and Jerrica Jeane were both released on bond on Thursday.
He was indicted and arrested in February 2022 in Hardin County on a first degree felony charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child younger than 6-years-old stemming from an incident nearly 13 years ago.
Mitchell Jeane was also indicted and arrested in February 2022 on a second degree felony charge of indecency with a child by sexual contact.
He was released on bonds totaling $350,000 for the two charges stemming from the incidents, both involving the same child under 6-years-old and has yet to stand trial on them.
If found guilty all three could each face from two to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 for each sale of a child and insurance fraud charge.
"Illegal adoption can lead to the exploitation, and trafficking of a child. Cause we just don't know what happens after that illegal adoption," said Harvest House Education Coordinator Brittany Delagarza.
Matthews, who was recently in Ohio, agreed to turn herself in and rode a bus to Southeast Texas after police bought her a ticket.
She was arrested in Orange on Feb. 25, 2024, after arriving on the bus in Rose City, police said.
She was booked into the Orange County Jail and by early Wednesday morning Matthews had been transferred to the Hardin County Jail according to jail records.
The Jeanes drove from Ohio to Lumberton and turned themselves in at the Lumberton Police Department at 9 a.m. Thursday morning.
Police then arrested them on the charges.
Timeline
The whole thing began in Lumberton in May 2021 not long after Matthews found out she was pregnant.
She made a deal with the couple to let them adopt her baby for the price of $5,000, according to Lumberton Police.
The Jeanes made one initial payment of $2,500 to Matthews with plans to pay her the rest after the baby was born, police said.
At the time the deal was made, police say the Jeanes had nine children, some not biologically theirs, living in their home.
Police say Matthews knew the Jeanes well, having lived with them at one time.
Matthews then began getting prenatal treatment in Beaumont using the identity of another woman along with the other woman’s insurance card.
Matthews is accused of filing a fraudulent insurance claim in September 2021 for medical care including prenatal, delivery and postnatal care according to the indictment. The amount of the claim was between $30,000 and $150,000.
She's accused of using Jerrica Jeane's name, birthdate, social security number and Molina Healthcare Insurance information to make the claim.
About nine months later after the baby was born at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont on February 25, 2022, a neo-natal nurse spotted a big red flag.
Jerrica Elee Jeane was at the hospital with Matthews after the baby was born but she was claiming to be Matthews, who was still using the name on the insurance card which was Jerrica Elee Nichols.
Three days after the baby was born a nurse noticed Jerrica Jeane was using the fake name because she knew her from previously helping deliver a child of hers, police said.
"So it's actually more coming than people realize. Over the past year or so we've serviced about 40 or 50 cases so that is quite a bit when you think about our small area," said Delagarza.
Police began investigating not long after and because the healthcare fraud happened in Beaumont, criminal investigators from the Texas Department of Public Safety worked on that side of the investigation.
"The nurse did the best thing she possibly could. She involved law enforcement because we as just common people don't feel like we can say something. Or do anything about it but you can," Delagarza said.
What was the money allegedly used for?
The money Matthews allegedly received was not for any type of lawful adoption purpose according to the indictment.
Specifically the money did not cover any fee or reimbursement paid to a lawful "child-placing agency," attorney, social worker, mental health professional, or a doctor for services involved with an adoption the indictment said.
The money also did not reimburse any legal or medical expenses for the benefit of the child, or any pregnancy-related or birth expenses for the child's parent, according to the indictment.
Staff at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital were helpful to the investigation, Sgt. Wilson told 12News.
Wilson also said officers with the Beaumont Police Department's patrol and criminal investigations division assisted in the investigation as well as DPS.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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