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(CNN) — An Ohio woman who had sought treatment at a hospital before suffering a miscarriage and passing her nonviable fetus in her bathroom now faces a criminal charge, her attorney told CNN.

Brittany Watts, 33, of Warren, has been charged with felony abuse of a corpse, Trumbull County court records show.

“Ms. Watts suffered a tragic and dangerous miscarriage that jeopardized her own life. Rather than focusing on healing physically and emotionally, she was arrested and charged with a felony,” her attorney, Traci Timko, told CNN in an email.

“Ms. Watts’ case is pending before the Trumbull County Grand Jury. I have advised her not to speak publicly until the criminal matter has resolved.”

Though a coroner’s office report said the fetus was not viable and had died in the womb, Watts’ case highlights the extent to which prosecutors can charge a woman whose pregnancy has ended – whether by abortion or miscarriage.

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[-] pugsnroses77@sh.itjust.works 3 points 11 months ago

soooo sounds like im getting a bisalp!

[-] EssentialCoffee@midwest.social 1 points 11 months ago

First thing I did after Roe v. Wade was repealed was schedule mine.

[-] pugsnroses77@sh.itjust.works 1 points 11 months ago

can i ask how long the whole procedure took? from the first phone call to the day of?

[-] EssentialCoffee@midwest.social 1 points 10 months ago

Less than 4 months? It would have been shorter, but I had scheduling issues that delayed it a couple of months.

[-] autotldr 2 points 11 months ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:


An Ohio woman who had sought treatment at a hospital before suffering a miscarriage and passing her nonviable fetus in her bathroom now faces a criminal charge, her attorney told CNN.

Though a coroner’s office report said the fetus was not viable and had died in the womb, Watts’ case highlights the extent to which prosecutors can charge a woman whose pregnancy has ended – whether by abortion or miscarriage.

When she was first admitted to the Labor and Delivery Department at St. Joseph’s Hospital on September 19, “She was diagnosed with premature rupture of membranes and severe oligohydramnios,” the report states.

But for hours doctors and officials mulled the ethics of inducing labor for a woman who had been diagnosed with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), had no detectable amniotic fluid, was bleeding vaginally and had advanced cervical dilation, the Post reported.

“Near the side of the garage, next to a large trash can, there was a pile of tissue, blood and what appeared to be paper towels in the weeds,” the coroner’s office investigator, Alaina Jamison, wrote in the report.

“As citizens, we are outraged that the criminal justice system is being used to punish Ms. Watts who, like thousands of women each year, spontaneously miscarried a non-viable fetus into a toilet and then flushed,” the group said in an open letter to the Trumbull County prosecutor.


The original article contains 1,503 words, the summary contains 230 words. Saved 85%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

[-] averyminya@beehaw.org 5 points 11 months ago

Monsters. Absolute monsters to harass her like this.

[-] Mrderisant@midwest.social 1 points 11 months ago

God I'm living in warren.

this post was submitted on 20 Dec 2023
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