Mother charged in teen's killing and dismemberment was an adoption supervisor

A woman charged with killing her adoptive daughter in a violent rape-and-murder fantasy previously worked for Northampton County Division of Children, Youth and Families as an "adoption supervisor" before she was suspended in 2010, authorities said Monday.

Sara Packer, the adoptive mother of 14-year-old Grace Packer, is charged in Bucks County along with Jacob Sullivan, Sara Packer's boyfriend, in the death of the teen, who had been reported missing last summer.

Sara Packer, 41, of Horsham Township, was charged Sunday with homicide, rape, conspiracy, kidnapping, and abuse of a corpse. Authorities also charged Sullivan, saying he and Packer plotted for nearly a year before the girl was killed last year in a Richland Township home.

Northampton County officials issued a news release Monday, saying that Packer worked for the county from 2003 through 2010, but included no further details. "Regarding the charges against Ms. Packer, the county cannot comment regarding ongoing job investigations," the statement read.

District Attorney John Morganelli said his office was not investigating Sara Packer because there were no allegations against her in Northampton County.

County Controller Stephen Barron Jr. said Monday that Packer worked as a supervisor for the county's Division of Children, Youth and Families for adoptions. He said Packer last worked for the county in January 2010. Packer's employment status was listed as "suspended," but Barron said he had no additional details on why she had been suspended.

Packer's salary was $44,600 at the time, Barron said. Barron said Monday that he thought it was important to release information about Packer's former position.

Packer and her ex-husband, David Packer, 40, lived in various parts of the Lehigh Valley, including Allentown, Bethlehem, and Emmaus, according to public records. According to Northampton County court records, the couple divorced in June.

David Warren Packer was charged by Allentown police in two child sex abuse cases in 2010.

In a case filed Nov. 23, 2010, he was charged with indecent assault of a victim under age 13. Two months later, he was charged in a separate filing with statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with someone under age 16, and corruption of minors.

Packer pleaded guilty to indecent assault and statutory sexual assault in both cases and was sentenced to six months to five years in prison. He was required to register as a sexually violent predator.