June 11, 2016
A Pennsylvania woman was found naked outside her home after killing her young child, also threatening to kill her neighbor's children, according to authorities.
Police said Friday that Regina Louise Lester, 30, of Jackson Township in York County, was hugging a tree in a lawn next door after the slaying, apologizing for the toddler's death and saying she "had to get the darkness out of her."
Officers responded to the report of a mother killing a child at a mobile home park in Jackson on Wednesday.
There, they discovered neighbors of Lester inside her home, performing CPR on the woman's 3-year-old daughter, Isabel Rose Godfrey.
Isabel was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. She had bruising on several parts of her body and bite marks on her torso, police said.
Witnesses told police they saw Lester in a neighbor's yard shortly before Isabel was found, naked and hugging a tree, saying, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do it. You understand I had to get the darkness out of her. I’m sorry.”
While this was going on, the witnesses went into Lester's home and discovered Isabel lying on the floor, police said.
Lester then tried getting into a neighboring home and said “I’m going to kill your kids," witnesses told police.
She then ran out into the street, but a neighbor was able to tackle and subdue Lester until police arrived, according to authorities.
Lester has been arraigned on charges of criminal homicide, endangering the welfare of children, and terroristic threats.
Police carried out a search warrant of her home and found opened packages of synthetic marijuana and a smoking pipe on a table near where the child was lying.
Blood samples, fingernail scrapings and dental impressions were taken from Lester at the hospital.
The results of an autopsy performed on Isabel are pending.
Isabel's 6-year-old brother witnessed a part of the assault before fleeing to get help, police said. He was unharmed and is being held by authorities.
