Ohio Woman Charged for Miscarriage Reddit: In a shocking turn of events, Brittany Watts, a 33-year-old Black woman from Ohio, is facing felony charges for the abuse of a corpse after suffering a miscarriage in her bathroom on September 22. The controversial case has garnered attention from reproductive rights experts who express concerns about potentially dangerous precedents if Watts is convicted.
Ohio Woman Charged for Miscarriage Reddit
Watts, admitted to the hospital for a life-threatening hemorrhage after the miscarriage, found herself at the center of a legal storm when police, just hours later, removed her toilet from her home and conducted a search for fetal remains. Watts’ attorney, Traci Timko, vehemently opposes the charges, stating, “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 and is fighting for her freedom and reputation.”
Who is Brittany Watts?
Timko argued in court that Ohio law does not require a woman experiencing a miscarriage to bury or cremate fetal remains. The Ohio Revised Code explicitly states that women should “in no case” be criminalized for the death in utero of an unborn child. This legal stance raises questions about the appropriateness of applying an abuse of corpse statute in the context of pregnancy-related conduct.
Mary Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California, Davis, points out that Watts’ case, while not unprecedented, could set a dangerous precedent for similar prosecutions and lawsuits. Ziegler notes, “The abuse of corpse statute clearly wasn’t written with pregnancy-related conduct in mind,” emphasizing the need for a nuanced approach.
Brittany Watts Ohio News
Greer Donley, a law professor at the University of Pittsburgh, draws attention to the broader context of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision, which removed federal abortion protections in June 2022, marking the end of Roe v. Wade. Donley expresses concern that Watts’ case may be the first instance, post-Dobbs, of a national-scale criminalization related to stillbirth, highlighting the challenges faced by women with high-risk pregnancies.
Brittany Watts Miscarriage
Watts’ case also adds to the growing body of evidence indicating the disproportionate criminalization of Black women during pregnancy. With 22 states enacting laws restricting or banning abortion, prosecutors have gained authority to bring charges, even criminal ones, against those who provide abortions, especially in cases involving life-threatening abnormalities in fetuses.
Brittany Watts Baby Case
This incident comes on the heels of the Texas Supreme Court ruling against Kate Cox, who sought to terminate her pregnancy due to a fatal diagnosis for her fetus. The case underscores the challenges women face in accessing abortion care in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision, as well as the urgency to protect reproductive rights at the state level.
In Ohio, where Watts resides, voters recently amended the state constitution to include the right to access abortion care. This legislative change signals a push to safeguard abortion rights in response to the evolving legal landscape.
Gofundme Brittany Watts
The police investigation into Watts’ home began after they received a call from the hospital about the miscarriage. Warren Police Department Chief Eric Merkel confirmed that the case was sent to prosecutors, who allowed the felony charge to be filed. The incident has sparked public outcry, with a GoFundMe campaign initiated to support Watts in covering legal expenses and home repairs.
As the legal battle unfolds, the Brittany Watts case serves as a stark reminder of the complexities surrounding reproductive rights and the potential consequences of legal decisions on women facing high-risk pregnancies. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications, influencing the future treatment of miscarriages and stillbirths within the legal system.
