No Murder Charge In Case of Infant Being Cut From Mother

Chelsie Butler

Dynel Lane, a former nurse’s aid, will not face murder charges for the cutting and removing of an unborn baby from its mother. The mother, Michelle Wilkins, answered a Craigslist ad for baby clothes on March 18th. When she arrived at the home, she was attacked, beaten, cut open, and her fetus was removed. The infant did not survive and the attacker is being held on a $2 million bond. Afterward, prosecutors said it may be hard to raise a murder charge since Colorado state law does not recognize a fetus as a person unless it is capable of surviving for a period of time outside of the womb. But the extent of the period that the fetus must survive in order to be defined as a baby is not legally clear.The further investigation reveals that the attacker had more than likely lost a child herself.

Universal Ideas

• Abortion• Justice• Morality• Mental Illnesses• Grief• Murder• Online safety

Dynel Lane Michelle Wilkins

• Dynel Lane, a former nurse’s aid, cut a woman’s baby from her womb. Later evidence shows that Lane could have once carried and lost a child herself. In a well-written essay, defend, refute, or qualify whether murder charges should be pressed against mentally ill or grief stricken people.

• Michelle Wilkins, a pregnant mother, answered a Craigslist ad for baby clothes online. Upon reaching the home, she was brutally attacked and her fetus was removed. In a well-written essay, defend refute or qualify whether extra precautions should be taken for people answering online ads.

Sources• Bordeaux, Emma and Stapleton, Anneclaire. “No murder charge in case of baby cut from woman answering

Craigslist ad.” CNN. 27 March 2015. Web. 30 March. 2015.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/26/us/colorado-pregnant-woman-attack/

• Martinez, Michael. “Woman charged with attempted murder in Colorado Craigslist fetal abduction.” CNN. 28 March 2015. Web. 30 March 2015.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/27/us/colorado-craigslist-fetus-abduction/

• Crimesider Staff. “Officials: No murder charge in death of baby cut from womb.” CBS. 27 March 2015. Web. 30 March. 2015.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/death-of-baby-cut-from-womb-doesnt-lead-to-murder-charge/

• Tenser, Phil. “Dynel Lane not charged with murder because coroner determined baby she took wasn't alive on its own.” ABC. 26 March 2015. Web. 30 March. 2015.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/front-range/longmont/no-murder-charge-will-be-filed-against-dynel-lane-for-removing-baby-from-michelle-wilkins-womb