Current:Home > ScamsOhio woman who miscarried won't be criminally charged, prosecutor says -Blueprint Wealth Network
Ohio woman who miscarried won't be criminally charged, prosecutor says
View
Date:2025-04-28 00:46:14
An Ohio woman who miscarried won't be criminally charged for abuse of a corpse, the Trumbull County prosecutor's office said Thursday.
A grand jury returned a "no bill" in the case against Brittany Watts, 33, of Warren, Ohio, the prosecutor said, meaning they decided there will be no indictment. In the court filing, the grand jury foreman said the jury met for two days and examined seven witnesses regarding Watts' miscarriage before issuing their decision.
Watts, at 21 weeks and 5 days pregnant, began passing thick blood clots and made her first prenatal visit to a doctor's office in September 2023. The doctor told her that her water had broken prematurely and the baby most likely wouldn't survive. Over the next three days, Watts made multiple trips to the hospital before miscarrying into her home toilet. Testimony and an autopsy later confirmed that the fetus had died in the womb.
She then flushed and plunged her toilet, leading to a police investigation, and police found the remains of the fetus wedged in the pipes. Watts was initially charged with abuse of a corpse on October 4, a fifth-degree felony punishable by up to a year in prison and a $2,500 fine. On Nov.2, 2023, the case was turned over to the Trumbull County prosecutor so criminal charges could be independently determined, the prosecutor's office said in a statement Thursday afternoon. Prosecutors investigated the case before presenting the findings before the grand jury.
The case against Watts, who is Black, set off a firestorm over the treatment of pregnant women, in particular Black women, in the aftermath of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
"This 33-year-old girl with no criminal record is demonized for something that goes on every day," Watts' attorney, Traci Timko, told the judge at a recent preliminary hearing, The Associated Press reported. She said the delay in the hospital's response when Watts sought medical care was due to hospital officials debating the legal concerns.
"It was the fear of, is this going to constitute an abortion and are we able to do that," she said, The AP reported. Trumbull County prosecutor Dennis Watkins said in the Thursday statement that his office suffered "criticism and vicious personal attacks by the few who didn't understand that a reasonable amount of time was needed" to investigate the case.
Research has shown that Black women have a higher rate of miscarriage than White women, and a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that Black women are three times more likely to die due to a pregnancy-related issue than White women, due to factors including the quality of health care, underlying health conditions, structural racism and implicit bias.
–The Associated Press contributed reporting.
- In:
- Ohio
Cara Tabachnick is a news editor and journalist at CBSNews.com. Cara began her career on the crime beat at Newsday. She has written for Marie Claire, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. She reports on justice and human rights issues. Contact her at [email protected]
veryGood! (86282)
Related
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- Hiker rescued from mountain with 90-mph winds, bitter cold atop Mount Washington
- Environmental Groups Eye a Potential Win with New York Packaging Bill
- See America Ferrera, Megan Fox, Jeremy Renner, more exclusive People's Choice Awards photos
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- Kentucky, Connecticut headline winners and losers from men's college basketball weekend
- Will Friedle, Rider Strong allege grooming by 'Boy Meets World' guest star Brian Peck
- Mortician makes it to Hollywood on 'American Idol' with performance of this Tina Turner hit
- The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding
- One thing jumps off the page about Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh's staff: great familiarity
Ranking
- Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
- Many people want a toned body. Here's how to get one.
- Kentucky GOP lawmaker pitches his early childhood education plan as way to head off childcare crisis
- West Virginia coal miner’s death caused by safety failures, federal report says
- Megan Fox's ex Brian Austin Green tells Machine Gun Kelly to 'grow up'
- Indiana freelance reporter charged after threatening to kill pro-Israel U.S. officials
- It's National Love Your Pet Day: Celebrate Your Best Furry Friend With These Paws-ome Gifts
- Adam Silver's anger felt around the NBA - but can league fix its All-Star Game problem?
Recommendation
The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
When is Opening Day? What to know about 2024 MLB season start date, matchups
Squishmallows and Build-A-Bear enter legal battle over 'copycat' plush toys: What to know
Supreme Court leaves sanctions in place against Sidney Powell and others over 2020 election suit in Michigan
Nearly 400 USAID contract employees laid off in wake of Trump's 'stop work' order
Utah 9-year-old arrested in fatal shooting of a family member
UConn is unanimous No. 1 in AP Top 25. No. 21 Washington State ends 302-week poll drought
Alabama Supreme Court rules frozen embryos are ‘children’ under state law