Vigil to mourn slain newborn

A candlelight vigil will be held Wednesday night at a Browns Mills church to mourn for a baby killed when her mother allegedly doused her with an accelerant and set her afire.

The mother, Hyphernkemberly Dorvilier, was arrested Friday night and charged with murdering her newborn. Dorvilier, 22, of Pemberton Township, is in the Burlington County Minimum Security Facility with bail set at $500,000, and will have her first court appearance Tuesday afternoon.

The Rev. Richard Esher, who heads the Browns Mills United Methodist Church, said a resident who is grieving the loss of his own baby had approached him about hosting the vigil. Esher said the man, whose full name he could not recall, said the community wanted to come together to pray for Dorvilier's baby and asked him if he would help collect money for the burial and a funeral.

Esher said he would. "We would be glad to make the church available for the community to gather and hold a vigil," he said. "This is horrendous. It's a tragedy."

Esher plans to hold a prayer service in the sanctuary about 7:30 and then make a few comments. Afterward, there will be a candle-lighting in the parking lot for anyone interested. He said a group that is planning the event says it will then lead a procession to the area around the Pemberton Township clock, in the center of town and close to the church.

Esher also said he would accept donations for the burial. He said Dorvilier's family members asked to meet with him Tuesday. They are not members of the church, at 2 Pemberton Browns Mills Rd.

Resident Dave Joseph reported Friday night that he saw a fire in the middle of Simontown Road and noticed Dorvilier standing next to it. Joseph said she told him she was burning some dog feces, but when she poured water from a bottle on top of the pile, a baby cried and he saw the infant. He said he tackled Dorvilier while his wife and mother-in-law called police.

Airlifted to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, the baby died a few hours later, police said.