No Criminal Charges for Ohio Woman Who Endured Home Miscarriage, Grand Jury Decides
Ohio woman who tragically experienced a miscarriage will not face criminal charges, as determined by a grand jury
An Ohio woman whose nonviable fetus was left at home after a miscarriage will not face criminal charges, as decided by a grand jury on Thursday. Brittany Watts, 34, of Warren, had been previously charged with felony abuse of a corpse, according to Trumbull County court records from last year. Prior to her miscarriage in September, Watts had sought medical attention at a hospital twice due to severe bleeding and was informed by a coroner's office report that her fetus was not viable. The hospital staff had also alerted the Warren Police Department, who then responded to Watts' home, as documented in the coroner's office report.
The Trumbull County Common Pleas Court's Grand Jury returned a "no bill" for the charge against Watts due to insufficient evidence for an indictment, as reported by the Trumbull County Prosecutors office. CNN has contacted Watts' attorney and the Trumbull County Prosecutors Office for comment.
Last month, Ms. Watts' attorney, Traci Timko, informed CNN that Ms. Watts experienced a tragic and life-threatening miscarriage. Instead of being able to focus on her physical and emotional recovery, she was unexpectedly arrested and charged with a felony.
Despite the coroners office report indicating that the fetus was not viable and had passed away in the womb, Ms. Watts' case brings attention to the fact that prosecutors can press charges against a woman whose pregnancy has ended, regardless of whether it was due to abortion or miscarriage.
Following the 2022 Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and the federal right to abortion, numerous state trigger laws were enacted, imposing new restrictions or outright bans on abortion. Consequently, women carrying fetuses with fatal abnormalities have been prohibited from obtaining abortions in their home states. Additionally, those with potentially life-threatening pregnancies have struggled to access abortions due to unclear medical exemption clauses and the fear of legal repercussions among medical providers.
Her attorney said the charge against Watts may have been influenced by the repeal of Roe v. Wade, citing ignorance as the main factor. "I believe that this charge stems from the lack of knowledge and/or insight that men have regarding the realities of miscarriage and women's health in general," Timko told CNN previously.
"The issue of fetal personhood was not considered or deemed relevant by the individuals involved. This case highlights the importance of education and illustrates the broad impact of the fetal personhood debate, extending beyond the realm of abortion."
According to the prosecutor, Watts' actions after the fetus was delivered were central to the case.
Prosecutor Lewis Guarnieri expressed at a preliminary hearing in November that the concern is not the manner or timing of the child's death, but rather the disturbing fact that the infant was placed in a toilet, causing it to clog, and then left there while the mother continued with her day. This report includes contribution from CNN's Zenebou Sylla.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
