Follow up to the Tragedy - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Luki · 05-06-2004, 09:54 AM

The first posting of this is here Linkage

Link to the article

Quote:

Police identify mother of dead baby
Charges to come at end of investigation

By JAMES WASHBURN
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE

LINCOLN - Martha Nelson, 18, of Middletown will be charged with improper disposal of human remains, Logan County State's Attorney Tim Huyett said in a news release Wednesday.

Huyett said interviews and DNA samples led police to identify Nelson as the mother of a stillborn infant whose body was discovered in a Middletown yard March 19.

While "the investigative reports have not been completed at this time, when I receive the completed reports, charges for improper disposal of human remains will be forthcoming against Martha Nelson," Huyett said in the statement.

The charge is a misdemeanor.

Nelson lives less than two blocks from where a dog discovered the body of the baby boy, who until Wednesday had not publicly been linked to his mother.

Huyett said a report by a forensic pathologist, who determined the infant was stillborn, eliminates any potential charge of murder or manslaughter.

"I know the public may have questions about murder or manslaughter charges in this case," Huyett said. "The report of the forensic pathologist, however, clearly states that the infant was born still and that the still birth was due to natural causes.

"Therefore, murder or manslaughter is not the appropriate charge in this particular case."

The baby was named Isaiah Mark by Logan County Coroner Chuck Fricke.

After the discovery of the body, police interviewed many local residents and collected DNA samples from several Middletown women. As a result of those interviews and comparing DNA from the infant and potential mothers, authorities determined that Nelson is the mother, Huyett said.

"All life is sacred, and treating a deceased infant in this manner is an injustice to the memory of this child," Huyett said.

In an attempt to discourage such behavior, the Illinois Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed a bill to add police stations to the list of "safe havens" where mothers legally can leave babies they do not want.

Current law allows a mother to legally abandon her baby within 72 hours of birth at a staffed hospital, emergency care clinic or fire station.

House Bill 3957, which already has passed the House, adds police stations to the list in hopes of saving even more abandoned babies, said sponsor Rep. Elizabeth Coulson, R-Glenview.

The bill now goes to the governor.

The State Capitol Bureau contributed to this report.

On the news last night they stated that the woman had had the baby in the shower and was unaware whe was pregnent.

Polyphobic · 05-06-2004, 10:41 AM

Can someone explain to me how a woman can not know she is pregnant?

raeanna74 · 05-06-2004, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Luki
On the news last night they stated that the woman had had the baby in the shower and was unaware whe was pregnent.

How?? I KNEW when I was 2 months pregnant without taking a pregnancy test.

How does the safe haven thing work for a still born child? Leave the corpse? Is that ok too?

Averett · 05-06-2004, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Polyphobic
Can someone explain to me how a woman can not know she is pregnant?

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt....

A friend of mine in college was pregnant freshman year. She "didn't know" either. Just really deep denial. Luckly everything turned out well for her and her son Alex.

Even though the baby in this case was still born, the mother shouldn't get away with dumping her baby.

losthellhound · 05-06-2004, 11:40 AM

Strangely, this happens more then we think. There are several cases of it, and there is a disorder associated with it that deals heavily with denial and displacement of reality

very sad stories

Luki · 05-07-2004, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by raeanna74
How does the safe haven thing work for a still born child? Leave the corpse? Is that ok too?

The safe haven topic was brought up when the baby was first found, before the baby was looked at. The public didn't know if the baby was still born until it was released in this article. So for the last few weeks they had been talking about the safe havens due to the publicity of this incident.

05-06-2004, 10:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
Polyphobic Runt Location: Denver	Can someone explain to me how a woman can not know she is pregnant? __________________ <--The great infidel-->

05-06-2004, 11:40 AM	#5 (permalink)
losthellhound Thats MR. Muffin Face now Location: Everywhere work sends me	Strangely, this happens more then we think. There are several cases of it, and there is a disorder associated with it that deals heavily with denial and displacement of reality very sad stories __________________ "Life is possible only with illusions. And so, the question for the science of mental health must become an absolutely new and revolutionary one, yet one that reflects the essence of the human condition: On what level of illusion does one live?" -- Ernest Becker, The Denial of Death