Trial postponed for Baker City woman charged with manslaughter in death of her newborn in December 2024

Published 6:45 am Monday, August 4, 2025

A trial scheduled to start Aug. 18 for Angela Marie Croucher, the Baker City woman charged with manslaughter in the death of her newborn baby in her home on Dec. 30, 2024, has been postponed.

Croucher’s lawyer, William Thomson, filed a motion on July 29 to continue the case, citing the “significant time” he will need to prepare for a case that “focuses heavily on expert testimony and opinions.”

Judge Matt Shirtcliff in Baker County Circuit Court granted the motion the same day. The judge scheduled a status check hearing for Aug. 27 at 1:30 p.m. If Croucher, 33, goes to trial, potential trial dates are all in 2026, according to court records. Possible trial dates include Feb. 23-27, March 9-16 and March 30-April 3.

Baker City Police arrested Croucher on May 12.

A grand jury indicted Croucher on five charges including second-degree manslaughter, a Measure 11 crime in Oregon  that on conviction carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 75 months.

Croucher was released from the Baker County Jail on July 7 after she posted bail of $18,500 — 10% of the $185,000 bail that Shirtcliff had set. Croucher’s initial bail was $400,000, and Shirtcliff reduced that to $185,000.

Thomson had asked Shirtcliff to reduce the bail, telling the judge during a June 17 hearing that he didn’t believe Croucher’s family could raise $18,500 to secure her release. Shirtcliff declined to reduce Croucher’s bail, but she did post the 10%.

Motion to continue case

In his motion to cancel the Aug. 18 trial date, Thomson wrote that the case “focuses heavily on expert testimony and opinions, for which the defense will need significant time to prepare.”

Greg Baxter, Baker County district attorney, didn’t object to Thomson’s motion.

Thomson also wrote in his motion that “the state spent almost six months preparing this case and their expert witnesses prior to seeking an indictment; Defendant deserves no less of an opportunity to prepare.”

Thomson was referring to the time between the discovery of the baby’s body in Croucher’s home in late December, and her arrest on May 12.

Baxter said in a previous interview that the amount of time between the baby’s body being found and the indictment — about 4 1 /2 months — reflects the “thorough investigation” that police did, including talking with witnesses and collecting evidence from the state crime lab.

The charges

Baxter said after Croucher’s arrest that he believes Croucher gave birth to the baby and that it was alive.

The charges are related to Croucher’s alleged negligence in failing to adequately care for her newborn.

Baxter said in a previous interview that he could not discuss details about the case, including how long he believes the baby lived and the circumstances in which the baby’s body was found.

The grand jury indicted Croucher on multiple felonies. In addition to second-degree manslaughter, the Measure 11 charge, Croucher is charged with criminally negligent homicide, first-degree criminal mistreatment, second-degree abuse of a corpse, and a misdemeanor charge of concealing the birth of an infant.

Under count 1, the second-degree manslaughter charge, the indictment states that Croucher “did unlawfully and with criminal negligence, by neglect or maltreatment, cause the death of Baby Girl Croucher.”

Under count 2, the criminally negligent homicide charge, the indictment states that Croucher “did unlawfully, and with criminal negligence cause the death of Baby Girl Croucher.”

Under count 3, the second-degree abuse of a corpse charge, the indictment states that Croucher “did unlawfully and intentionally abuse, disinter, remove or carry away a corpse.”

Under count 4, the first-degree criminal mistreatment charge, the indictment states that Croucher, “in violation of a legal duty to provide care for Baby Girl Croucher, did unlawfully and knowingly withhold necessary and adequate medical attention from Baby Girl Croucher.”

Under count 5, the concealing birth of an infant charge, the indictment states that Croucher “did unlawfully and knowingly conceal the corpse of a newborn child with intent to conceal the fact of its birth.”

The Baker County Major Crimes Team investigated the case. The team consists of detectives and officers from Baker City Police, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police and the Baker County District Attorney’s office.

The body of the newborn baby was found Dec. 30 in Croucher’s home at 1912 17th St., between Broadway Street and Court Avenue.

The Baker County Dispatch Center reported a medical call at that address on Dec. 29 at 4:54 p.m. Pioneer Ambulance and the Baker City Fire Department responded. The report had no other information about the call.