Stillbirth woman charged with murder, faces life sentence.

[Gromit]

// Gibbs became pregnant aged 15, but lost the baby in December 2006 in a stillbirth when she was 36 weeks into the pregnancy. When prosecutors discovered that she had a cocaine habit – though there is no evidence that drug abuse had anything to do with the baby's death – they charged her with the "depraved-heart murder" of her child, which carries a mandatory life sentence. //

http://www.guardian.c...-women-murder-charges

Seems a bit harsh?

[Mamyalynne]

A whole damn minefield opened up there, goodness knows what is next. Each and every case needs to be examined on it's own merits and I fail to see what a custodial sentence or some such would hope to prove.

[Gromit]

I do not condone cocaine use when pregnant but I would view smoking and drinking alcohol while pregnant as equally as wrong.

[Mamyalynne]

I am afraid to say then Gromit, I must back out of this discussion, as a young Mum at the time I did both, I am now a true and trusted Grandmother and Mum, point me to the electric chair.

By both I mean Cigs and Alcohol.

[emmie]

i think its despicable, i agree don't smoke, drink during pregnancy, but would they have said the same had she been raped, whilst on cocaine, this isn't justice, its more like the type of punishment meted out in a saudi court, or what passes for one. I often think their penal systems are as barbaric as in the middle ages, so many addicts locked up for years, why don't they see all that does is make them hardered criminals, rehab and treatment, has to be a better way than sticking them in a cell 23 hours out of 24

[pink-kittens]

Ah, it's American
If they are going to prosecute for drug taking during pregnancy that results in the death of the baby (although I understand there was indication that this was the case in this case) then where does it end? Prosecutions for smoking causing asthma, cancer? Drinking causing alcohol fetal syndrome?
Or how about a prosecution for alcohol fetal syndrome poisoning because the mum ate a piece of brie?

[pink-kittens]

of course that bit about Brie should read 'listeria' lol

[emmie]

this in part because of the anti abortion stance in many parts of the US, but whether you agree with that or not, this is not something a so called civilised country should be doing.

[R1Geezer]

I didn't think the unborn where covered by this. However clearly the cocaine went to the baby so I don't see how there is no evidence that it had anything to do with the baby's death. Yes seems harsh.

[jno]

murder sounds a bit odd; even in the States, as far as I know, you have to intend to murder someone. It's more what we'd call manslaughter - and even that's crazy; are pregnant women to be prosecuted for any supposed imperfections in their habits or diet, or for having any child who dies young?

[sandyRoe]

Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina are three states mentioned in the report. They're all in the Bible Belt. You'd think they could show a bit more Christian charity to mothers who had lost their babies.

[Gromit]

Glad we are all singing from the same Hymn sheet on this. Can you imagine the fuss if this had been a report from Iran? Instead it is buried in the Grauniad, and no other newspapets are reporting it. Crazy religious nutters the world over.

[dotty.]

But what happens in cases where the child survives to full term and is born with a cocaine dependancy, which I understand does occur? Do they charge the mother with something then? It is the same kind of crime. If she ws aged 15, how can any justice system prosecute her for something that is probably due to her lack of parental guidance, education or maturity?

[jomifl]

surely it would have to be proven that the cocaine habit ..
A. caused the death of the foetus
B. was deliberatey acquired after the pregnancy began.
and that the woman was aware that death of the foetus was likely if shw took cocaine.

[dotty.]

How was she a woman at 15 anyway? She is only 20 now FGS. So they comdemn their young in the US?

[emmie]

Dotty exactly, she was a child, and where were the parents in this case, perhaps doing the same, Some American states do have the death penalty for young people, 16 was one i read about.