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submitted 11 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

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.

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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[-] Garbanzo@lemmy.world 160 points 11 months ago

Every woman in Ohio should call the coroner to report their monthly discharge, just in case

[-] Illustrious_Luck5514@lemmy.world 43 points 11 months ago

No! That’s what they want!

[-] rivermonster@lemmy.world 31 points 11 months ago

Every person in Ohio should recognize that when the rule of law is corrupted and broken, then [logical corrilary omitted bc it violated group rules].

[-] SCB@lemmy.world 25 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

We did, and we amended our constitution to protect women's reproductive health in general and right to abortions in specific

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[-] pinkdrunkenelephants@lemmy.world 7 points 11 months ago

...it justifies overthrowing the government and instituting a new one, and the people have the moral responsibility to do it.

There. FTFY

[-] calypsopub@lemmy.world 27 points 11 months ago

Mail it to them for autopsy just in case

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[-] Drusas@kbin.social 135 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

A huge percentage of pregnancies end in miscarriage, very often before the woman even knows she was pregnant. This is the same. She should have to take special care of the mass her body rejected just because it was in there a little longer? What's the cutoff for having to report that you had a miscarriage, then? Every period? Every time you have a period that's a week or two late, because that is reasonably likely to have been a miscarriage?

This was a non-viable fetus. It was never going to be a person. It's not a corpse.

[-] Strawberry@lemmy.blahaj.zone 27 points 11 months ago

The nurse that called 911 on her should be deeply ashamed of themselves

[-] Shou@lemmy.world 19 points 11 months ago

You jest, but imagine if every women spammed any govement instance with "I'm on my period."

[-] NocturnalEngineer@lemmy.world 23 points 11 months ago

Go further... If men reported every "deposit" too

[-] abbotsbury@lemmy.world 8 points 11 months ago

Do I report every time or just give the total at the end of the day?

[-] Lemminary@lemmy.world 4 points 11 months ago

Look at Mr Loads over here humble-flexin'

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[-] Rapidcreek@lemmy.world 135 points 11 months ago

This is what the “pro-life” movement is all about. Punishing women

[-] itscozydownhere@lemmy.world 111 points 11 months ago
[-] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 44 points 11 months ago

Ah, but cancer isn't malicious, so it's technically better than the right.

[-] LufyCZ@lemmy.world 21 points 11 months ago

It is, it just doesn't know it.

[-] PoolloverNathan@programming.dev 4 points 11 months ago

Still technically better than the right.

[-] DarkMessiah@lemmy.world 88 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

More and more, we see direct evidence as to why Roe vs Wade was necessary.

Because rabid birthers will do anything to punish women who don’t give birth.

[-] TheMusicalFruit@lemmy.world 54 points 11 months ago

Ohio continuing its slow march onto the list of places I won’t travel to anymore. I’ve stopped voluntarily traveling (and spending money in) states I find politically abhorrent, and it feels great. Texas made the list last year, and Florida this year. Cancelled our FL vacation and decided to go to California instead.

[-] evidences@lemmy.world 64 points 11 months ago

The real fucked up part of this is Ohioans just voted to codify abortion and reproductive rights into the state constitution. This is just some assholes trying to find ways around that amendment.

[-] superduperenigma@lemmy.world 50 points 11 months ago

We also voted to legalize weed and Republicans are trying to kneecap it by removing the right to grow any plants at home, limiting the amount you can carry, and limiting the concentration of THC allowed in any product.

Republicans hate democracy.

[-] Riccosuave@lemmy.world 8 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

To be fair these are some of the same legal courses of action states like Washington have taken as well. Even legal cannabis is still a web of suppressive government bureaucracy, monopolistic tax structures, and punitive legal frameworks. We aren't even close to what I would consider a just or equitable system, and every year it gets more heavily gentrified in favor of corporations who don't give a single fuck about anybody who has suffered due to the war on drugs.

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[-] whofearsthenight@lemm.ee 4 points 11 months ago

Tangential, but I feel similarly and one of my bucket list items is a motorcycle trip across the country. At this point, do I just ride up to Canada, cross back over around New York? Or down to Tijuana, ride over until I hit ocean and swim around to Jersey? Serious question, should I pack mittens or water wings?

[-] UziBobuzi@kbin.social 43 points 11 months ago

Too bad medical science can't invent a killer virus that takes out right wing fundamentalists with pinpoint accuracy.

[-] samus12345@lemmy.world 49 points 11 months ago

They did a decent job on their own thinning their numbers with Covid.

[-] Son_of_dad@lemmy.world 30 points 11 months ago
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[-] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 40 points 11 months ago

Who the hell would want to get pregnant in the US at this point?

[-] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 27 points 11 months ago

People who think politics doesn't affect them.

[-] ElBarto@sh.itjust.works 17 points 11 months ago

The laaaaaaaaand of the freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

[-] whoisearth@lemmy.ca 15 points 11 months ago

She's black so the point is it's supposed to be ok.

I wish I was joking.

[-] Macropolis@lemmy.world 12 points 11 months ago
[-] DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe 12 points 11 months ago

Conservatives are fascists.

Why are people still surprised at how cruel they will be?

[-] ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one 10 points 11 months ago

The hospital staff notified the Warren Police Department, which responded to Watts’ home, the coroner’s office report says.

CNN reached out to the hospital for comment about why staff notified police. Maureen Richmond, vice president of integrated communications at Mercy Health – a Catholic health care system that includes St. Joseph Warren Hospital – sent the following statement to CNN:

“The safety and security of every patient who comes to us for care is our highest priority. Out of respect for patient privacy, we will not discuss individual specifics of care.

Except when it comes to snitching on people.

[-] ZzyzxRoad@sh.itjust.works 9 points 11 months ago
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this post was submitted on 19 Dec 2023
659 points (98.4% liked)

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