BABY DUMP NEWS, June 27, 2007–v7 #26
June 27, 2007 – 12:32 pm
BABY DUMP NEWS:
A WEEKLY E-CHRONICLE OF NEWBORN ABANDONMENT
INFANTICIDE,
SAFE HAVEN LEGISLATION
AND RELATED ISSUES
June 27 , 2007 –v7 #26
Distributed weekly by:
Marley Elizabeth Greiner, Executive Chair, Bastard Nation
Disclaimer: Some newspapers keep articles on 7-14 days (or less) free access and then forward them to paid archives. Please feel free to send articles and websites of interest to maddogmarley@worldnet.att.net
All links are tested just before sending.
READ: The Daily Bastardette, safe haven and adoption commentary,
http://bastardette.blogspot.com and www.myspace.com/maddogmarley
June 23, 2007: Macadamias: Opposition to Hawai’is Safe Have bill grows
June 23, 2007: American Adoption Congress Opposition Letter to HB 1830:
“Safe Haven” bills are misguided…”
June 23, 2007: Adoption Circle Hawai’I Statement Opposing HB 1830:
“Will disrupt our rich cultural traditions…”
***THIS WEEK***
WASHINGTON DC–Baby left on doorstep
HAWAI’I–Governor puts SH bill on potential veto list
ILLINOIS–Imprisoned mother denied access to daughter
MASSACHUSETTS–Mother charged in Milford death
BRAZIL–Tribal infanticide
…and more!
***STATES***
ALABAMA
Clarke County Democrat, June 21, 2007
“Secret Safe Place for Newborns” receives second baby at local hospital
http://www.clarkecountydemocrat.com/news/2007/0621/Front_Page/005.html
CLARKE COUNTY–Mother drops off newborn, at Grove Hill Memorial Hospital; refuses medical assistance for herself. DA Spence Walker praises mom, ” Two tragedies were averted. This mother made a wise decision…It is a desperate time for them ([the mothers].”
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
WJA-TV, Washington, DC, June 20, 2007
Officials search for abandoned baby’s parents
http://dynamic.wjla.com/printarticle.hrb?s=wjla&i=432717
WASHINGTON, DC–District officials searching for parents of newborn found on doorstep of Southeast home 2 weeks ago. Woman who found baby and took him to Anacostia clinic says homeless woman stayed in abandoned home nearby. Comments.
HAWAII’S
KHON-TV, Honolulu, June 22, 2007
Hawai’i Baby Safe Haven bill on the table
http://www.khon2.com/news/local/8104182.html
HONOLULU–SH bill sponsor Rep. John Mizuno says Gov. Linda Lingle will veto SH bill. Mizuno says that despite Lingle’s staff statement that baby abandonment is rare, there have been “several incidents of newborns or fetuses left behind.” Cites 1995 case of two men discovered a baby in a shoebox and a 2001 case of baby found in rice bag. Calls Lingle’s top legislative aid, Linda Smith, a liar over her opposition testimony. “So what Linda Smith says is very far from the truth. ‘Our culture norms are different (sic) other states in the mainland–where we have the wonderful system of hanai, “said Smith.” “To say that we should be covered we’re different than the mainland–I’m perplexed by that comment, The most important thing is at first point–if a parent or parents lack clarity they have an option. “
KPUA-AM, Hilo, June 26, 2007
Safe haven bill to be vetoed
http://www.kpua.net/news.php?id=11865
HONOLULU–Governor Lingle announces intent to veto SH bill. Majority Dems say they’ll consider returning in special session to override this and other vetoes.
ILLINOIS
Chicago Tribune, June 27, 2007
Mother who killed baby denied visits with daughter
CHICAGO–Heather Corman, in prison for murder of newborn in 1998, loses bid for regular visits in prison with 6-year old daughter. Girl’s father, Robert Flick, argues that visits upset his daughter. Judge rejected Flick’s attempt to terminate Corman’s parental rights and agreed that 6-year old should have regular visits with Corman’s 11-year old daughter who lives with Corman’s parents. In Feb. 1998, Corman gave birth in bathroom floor after concealing pregnancy from family and friends, then suffocated baby. Flick met Corman after the crime occurred and married her in 2000 while she was awaiting trial. Says at that time he believed she was innocent. Corman raised girl until she was sent to prison last year.
Chicago Tribune, June 27, 2007
Berwyn mother found guilty of killing newborn girl
BERWYN–Update on Margarita Castillo case. (BDN v5 #11). Castillo, 22, found guilty in death of newborn Monique Ochoa in March 2005. (no charge listed). Now married to baby’s father, Mario Ochoa, and has 8 month old daughter. Ochoa knew of pregnancy, but Castillo, who lived with her parents, hid condition from them. Will be sentenced in August.
MASSACHUSETTS
Boston Globe, June 19, 2007
Mother arrested in death of baby
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/06/20/mother_arrested_in_death_of_baby/
MILFORD–Update on Milford/Baby Epiphany case (BDN v7, #2, 3, 7,8). After 5-month investigation, Allissa Pugh, 28, indicted by Worchester County grand jury for involuntary manslaughter and improper disposal of a body. Autopsy indicates baby was alive at birth and died from injuries sustained “around the time of birth.” No details.
Milford Daily News, June 24, 2007
Tough road for Milford mom’s defense team
http://www.milforddailynews.com/homepage/x1557523007
MILFORD–Overcoming pubic outrage and sorting through tricky philosophical, moral and scientific issues will be key to Pugh defense. Science and forensics should overcome emotional issues. Commentary from lawyers that have defended clients in similar cases.
MICHIGAN
Detroit News, June 22, 2007
Newborn’s mother may use depression defense
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070622/METRO01/706220371/1006
WESTLAND–Update on Valeeka Gartrell case (v7 #17-18; 19, 23). Defense lawyer says more than 100 pages of medical documents submitted to psychologist could support postpartum depression defense. Prosecutor and Gartrell refuse to comment.
Marquette Mining Journal, June 26, 2007
Baby Garnet
http://www.miningjournal.net/stories/articles.asp?articleID=16748
GARNET–Review of 1997 Baby Garnet case; workers found newborn’s decomposed body clogging septic tank line for outdoor outhouse at Garnet Lake State Forest Campground. Pathologists unable to determine whether baby was born alive. Leads didn’t pan out. Police plan to compare preserved DNA samples with individuals from original investigation.
NORTH CAROLINA
Winston-Salem Journal, June 22, 2007
Baby found near hospital
FORSYTH COUNTY–Nurse finds 4-pound baby boy on bench outside Forsyth Medical Center. No details.
OHIO
Akron Beacon Journal, June 19, 2007
Abandoned infant found in Wayne County
http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/17390808.htm
WOOSTER–Newborn girl, wearing yellow jumper and wrapped in white blanket, left on front porch. DNA samples taken to lab in Stark County to see if there is link between baby and missing pregnant Jessie Davis.
Wooster Daily Record, June 26, 2007
DNA test will confirm baby’s paternity
http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/2179612
WOOSTER–DNA test confirms that baby found on doorstep has no connection to Jessie Davis. Baby’s unnamed mother, 30, identified and questioned. Says she hid pregnancy from family, gave birth in Richland County hotel where she was staying, and then left baby on Wooster porch.
Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 26, 2007
Woman who abandoned baby pleads guilty to child endangering
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2007/06/woman_who_abandoned_baby_plead.html
LORAIN–Update on Heather Heck case (BDN v6 #48; v7 #6). Heck pleads guilty to 2 counts of child endangering and 1 count of obstructing official business. Father Wesley Cales has custody of baby and Heck has visitation rights. Picture. Comments.
***INTERNATIONAL***
AUSTRALIA
News.com, June 19, 2007
Dumped baby may have public funeral
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21931708-1702,00.html
PERTH–Update on recycling plant case (BDN v7 # 24, 25). Mareena Purslowe & Assoc. funeral home offers to pay for public funeral. No cause of death determined yet.
Sydney Morning Herald, June 20, 2007 (also Ireland)
Baby dumped in toilet reunited with mum
NO DATELINE–Baby dumped in bag in toilet at Gold Coast luxury resort in March reunited with mother in Ireland. Australian Federal Police, Interpol, and Dept. of Immigration involved in worldwide search for mother, later identified as Amy Eustace. Police say they have no interest in prosecution. Baby was 2-weeks old when abandoned.
BELIZE
Channel 5 Belize.com, June 21, 2007
Woman who abandoned newborn fined $500
http://new.channel5belize.com/archive_detail_story.php?story_id=18752
BELIZE CITY–Update on Maritza Gonzalez case (BDN v6 #21). Gonzalez, originally charged with manslaughter, pleads guilty to concealment of the body of a child and fined $500 payable by August 15.
BRAZIL
London Daily Telegraph, June 22, 2007
Girl survived tribe’s custom of live baby burial
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2007/06/22/
BRASILIA–Feature on practice of some Amazon tribes of killing or burying newborns alive. Tradition based on belief that babies with physical defects (especially girls) have no souls; others, such as twins or triplets are “cursed.” Those born to unwed mothers also in danger. Dr. Marcos Pelerine, working in Yanomami Tribe Health Care District says 98 children were killed by their mothers in 2004. Campaigners against infanticide say true figure is obscured by officials who mis-record causes of death out of respect for tribal culture. Harrowing story of Hakani, now adopted by Marcia and Edson Suzuki, whose family was ordered to kill her when she was 2 years old. Brazilian politicians now debating “Nuwaji’s Law,” a bill to outlaw infanticide; named after a Suruwaha woman who refused to bury her baby alive. Pictures.
FIJI
Fiji Times, June 25, 2007
Student mother held over dead baby
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=65200
FIJI–Student held by police after she gave birth in bathroom at Colonial War Memorial Hospital while waiting for nurse to attend her labor. Baby found dead.
GEORGIA
The Messenger, June 26, 2007
Woman fights to keep abandoned baby
http://www.messenger.com.ge/issues/1386_june_26_2007/n_1386_2.htm
JURGAANI, SIGHNAGHI–Shorena Aladashvili finds baby on ground near home and wants to adopt him. Can’t raise money required by law to officially adopt but believes that by finding him she has come into “guardianship.” Aladashvili family asked Human Rights Ombudsman Sozar Subari to assist them, but he says he can’t intervene since his job is only to ensure that law is fairly applied. Believes Aladashivilis may have some sort of claim, but there’s a good chance another family which can offer better living conditions will approach adoption agency. According to Ministry of Education and Science this year 4 children were adopted from orphanages; 3 straight from original families; 11 children adopted by relatives.
SOUTH AFRICA
IOL, June 26, 2007
R500 bail for dumping baby in toilet
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20070626104445560C564763
PIETERMARITZBURG–Sizakele Mncwabe, 23, released on R500 bail; charged with concealment of birth and attempted murder after she dumped newborn in pit toilet near her home. Baby survived.
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