Woman accused of cutting fetus from womb
A Colorado woman accused of cutting open a pregnant woman and removing her unborn baby from her womb had told her family she was expecting a baby boy and had arranged to meet her husband for a pre- natal appointment on Wednesday, the same day of the attack, according to court documents.
Dynel Lane’s husband told investigators when he came home from work early to meet her, he found her covered in blood, and she told him she had suffered a miscarriage. He said she showed him a baby lying in a bathtub. He said he rubbed the baby slightly and rolled the baby over and heard it gasping for breath before taking them both to the hospital. The baby did not survive.
A doctor told investigators the incision in the mother’s belly was well performed and would have required some research on caesarean births, the documents said.
Meanwhile, according to an affidavit for Lane’s arrest, the baby’s mother — a 26- year- old woman investigators say was lured to the home by a Craigslist ad for baby clothes — was still in the house. She managed to call 911 and police arrived to help her sometime after the Lanes left for the hospital.
In a recording of the call, a woman with a dazed- sounding voice says she has been stabbed and pleads for help.
“She cut me,” the woman says, later adding, “I’m pregnant.
“Please help me,” she says. “Help, help.”
Police said the woman was alert and answering questions Thursday. District Attorney Stan Garnett said she was doing better than officials had expected.
Lane was arrested at the hospital on suspicion of attempted first- degree murder, first- degree assault and child abuse knowingly and recklessly resulting in death.
She appeared in court briefly Thursday to be advised of the possible charges against her. Under Colorado law, Lane could only face murder charges in the baby’s death if the baby did indeed live outside the mother’s womb, an issue that has been controversial in the state.