Coroner Rules Unborn Baby Cut From Mother’s Womb Wasn’t Killed, Likens Death to Miscarriage

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jun 18, 2015   |   1:02PM   |   Longmont, CO

In a shocking and offensive ruling, the county coroner involved in the tragic case of a woman who cut open a young mother in an attempt to steal her unborn baby ruled the baby wasn’t specifically killed. The just-released determination of the cause of death likens the baby’s death to a miscarriage.

In Colorado, Dynel Catrece Lane was arrested after she attacked a pregnant woman and cut her seven-month-old unborn baby out of her womb. In this unbelievable act of violence, the baby died but the mother, Michelle Wilkins (pictured above), survived. Currently, Lane is standing trial for attempted murder and unlawful termination of a pregnancy.

Unfortunately, prosecutors will not be able to bring charges for the unborn child’s death because Colorado state law does not regard unborn children as human beings who deserve justice when they are killed. This is because in 2013, Colorado Democrats killed a bill that would add the state to the list of more than 25 states that provide justice and protection for pregnant women and unborn children.

Had officials determined that the baby, named Aurora, had survived the attack and officially “been born” she would have become a victim under Colorado criminal law and prosecutors could bring charges against Lane related to her death. But, today, as the Denver Post reports, the county coroner ruled that the baby’s death was a “fetal demise” — a term often associated with miscarriages when the baby dies of natural causes.

The Boulder County coroner’s office on Wednesday ruled the death of Michelle Wilkins’ unborn child after an attack in March to be “fetal demise.”

The coroner’s office said there was no manner of death associated with the cause.

The Boulder County district attorney’s office said this year no murder charges would be filed against Dynel Lane, the woman accused of stabbing Wilkins, from Longmont, and removing a 7-month-old fetus from her womb.

The pro-life group Colorado Citizens for Life is upset by the determination from the coroners office and says calling Aurora’s death “fetal demise” and indicating that there was no manner of death essentially says baby Aurora was not killed in a horrific act of violence. The pro-life group calls the ruling a slap it the fact to baby Aurora and to Michelle, as it says no one specifically killed her unborn child.

Sarah Zagorski, the director of the pro-life group, told LifeNews: “It is incredibly disappointing that the Boulder county coroner’s office didn’t give a proper explanation of what happened to Wilkins’ unborn baby. Instead, they made it sound like baby Aurora died on her own, without any known cause. Clearly, Aurora was a viable, healthy 34-week-old baby that could have survived if taken to full term. However, she and her mother were assaulted in the worst way and Michelle’s baby was killed.  Unbelievably, not only has the Colorado Legislature failed to acknowledge what happened to baby Aurora but now the coroners office has as well.”

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As LifeNews previously reported, Colorado Republicans tried to pass an Unborn Victims of Violence law that would hold criminals accountable when they kill or injure unborn children in violent attacks against their mother. However, House Democrats killed the bill in a party-line vote of 6-5.

The sponsor of the legislation, Senate president Bill Cadman, said the following after Boulder prosecutors decided not to charge Lane for the death of baby Aurora: “This is a sad day for the mothers of Colorado, and for the fathers of Colorado. And for every Coloradan who was stunned to learn that no murder charges will be brought on behalf of a Longmont infant savagely cut from its mother’s body in one of the most horrific crimes in recent memory. Where’s the justice for that baby?”

michellewilkins