In October last year, the dismembered remains of a 14-year-old Pennsylvania girl was found.
The adoptive mother of the girl has been charged with the murder, just hours after Prosecutors announced similar charges against the mother’s boyfriend. Both are being held without bail.
Sullivan and Packer
District Attorney, Matthew Weintraub, said Sullivan and Packer conspired to kill the girl, Grace Packer, for money.
“We believe the evidence will prove that this was a rape-murder fantasy that was shared by Jacob Sullivan and Sara Packer,” Weintraub said “and they made this fantasy into a horrible, heinous, gruesome reality.”
Court documents say that Sullivan and Sara Packer attempted to commit suicide together on December 30th, by drug overdose at their home in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. They were found alive by family members.
Sullivan apparently broke the silence in the hospital and allegedly confessed to the entire crime.
“Their motive to perpetuate the lie that she was still alive was profit, greed,” said Weintraub. “It was for the money that they could collect because of her life and very existence.”
On July 8, the couple took Grace from Sara Packer’s home in Abington to their new home in Quakertown, where the 14-year-old allegedly endured sexual assault and drugging, before being strangled.
Sara Packer then reported the girl missing to Abington Township Police, saying Grace ran away from home after a disagreement.
Sullivan reportedly told investigators that he and Packer became increasingly afraid they would be caught, so they dismembered Grace’s body with a bow saw and disposed of her remains in Bear Creek Township. On October 31 the remains were found along an isolated road.
A few weeks ago Packer was first arrested and charged with obstruction and endangerment in connection with the case. At that time, police say she was just considered as a person of interest in Grace’s death.
Police say after she reported the girl missing, a recent photo of Grace was requested from her mother so they could investigate. The mother allegedly told Police Officers that she would drop a photo off at the station, but never actually did.
Police also uncovered that Sara Packer had been receiving $712 monthly for care and custody of Grace, but on August 22, Sara completed a Continuing Disability Review Report related to Grace and did not disclose her disappearance.
Records also show that between July and November 2016, while her daughter was reported missing, Packer spent over $3,600 of disability funding which was intended for Grace.
An autopsy determined Grace’s death to be that of a homicide, however, the official cause of death is not being released at this time due to an ongoing investigation.