Baby's hair key to abuse case

By LONNIE MACK

MIDDLESEX COUNTY — A DNA analysis has determined that a hair found in a crack in a bedroom wall in the home of Krisann and Frank Badics came from the infant boy the couple was in the process of adopting.

Assistant Prosecutor Christie Bevacqua contends the 10-month-old child, whose name was Jae, lost the hair on Sept. 16, 2004, when Krisann Badics lost control and slammed the baby into the wall.

Badics and her husband, who authorities allege did not get help for the child, are on trial in Superior Court, New Brunswick, for endangering the welfare of the infant who has since been placed with another family by the adoption agency the Badics were using.

The Badics are facing up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the second-degree charges.

While defense attorney William Shipers agreed to stipulate to the accuracy of the DNA test linking the hair to the infant, he told the jury that neither the state nor Edward Gainborg, a state police forensic scientist, could explain how the hair got there.