Woman pleads guilty to causing suicide as criminal homicide while camping at Pinchot Park

A Philadelphia-area woman who was accused of killing her girlfriend while camping at Gifford Pinchot State Park in Warrington Township in 2020 pleaded guilty to one count of causing suicide as criminal homicide.

Jolie Harris, 44, of Broomall, entered a guilty plea last week to one count of Causing Suicide as Criminal Homicide for her role in the death of Lauren Gallagher, 37, according to the York County District Attorney's Office.

Harris previously faced charges of first-degree murder and third-degree murder, which were dismissed.

More: Woman researched 'windpipe location' and 'antifreeze' in Pinchot Park killing, police say

A camping weekend turned deadly in 2020

Harris and Gallagher were in a relationship for several years before their 2020 camping trip. According to court documents, their family stated the two referred to themselves as being " married" on occasion.

The two had rented campsite 236 at Gifford Pinchot State Park from Friday June 5, to Sunday, June 7, 2020.

Family members indicated to police that they had not had any contact with Gallagher or Harris for several days. Concerned for their well-being, the family signed missing person's declarations, and the two females wereentered into NCIC as missing persons, according to court documents.

At 11:30 a.m. on Monday, June 8, 2020, a park ranger requested that state troopers respond to the northern York County park after an abandoned vehicle was discovered at a campsite, according to charging documents.

More: Woman is headed toward trial in killing of girlfriend at Gifford Pinchot State Park

At 8:30 p.m., a male camper reported finding a body under a blanket near his campsite at Gifford Pinchot State Park.

While on the phone with 911, he went to check on the body to determine the extent of the person's injuries when Harris uncovered her face from under the blanket and requested help, according to court documents.

Harris had made several statements claiming that Gallagher was deceased, and they that were attacked by unknown individuals.

Troopers reported not seeing injuries on Harris that were actively bleeding, though she was taken to York Hospital for her scratches, a small cut and a bruise, and a CT scan came back negative for a head injury, police said. Gallagher was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two days after Gallagher's body was discovered, an autopsy was conducted by Forensic Pathology Associates at Lehigh Valley Hospital. The death was ruled as a homicide.

More: Two women found at Pinchot Park -- one alive, one dead, coroner says

It was noted that Gallagher's windpipe was cut, and the cause of death was ruled as, "sharp force trauma to neck," according to court documents.

Harris stated that she and her girlfriend were attacked. But law enforcement found no evidence that anyone else had been at their campsite.

Police reported finding a rock that appeared to contain dried blood and hair in its crevices. A Kobalt razor-style utility knife containing dried blood was also found in the immediate area of the scene, according to court documents.

While camping at Pinchot Park with her now-deceased girlfriend, it was discovered throughout the investigation that Harris had internet searched the following: 'What percent of Murder in US is domestic violence,' 'Does antifreeze have a taste' and the location of the windpipe on a human.

Harris' sentencing is scheduled for August 22 at 1 p.m.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Woman pleads guilty to causing suicide as criminal homicide while camping at Pinchot Park