Augusta, ME (LifeNews.com) -- A Maine family is unhappy with the compromise that lawmakers agreed on regarding legislation to address violence against pregnant women. The state legislature agreed to a compromise version that does not acknowledge an unborn child as a second victim when a pregnant woman is assaulted.

The Maine state Senate on Monday unanimously approved a version of the bill that simply elevates the penalties for attacks on pregnant women but does not provide for a second crime regarding the death or injury of the baby.

The House approved the measure last week.

Kristen Eckmann said the compromise was good, but not good enough.

The original bill would have allowed murder charges to be filed against criminals who kill an unborn child as a result of an attack on a pregnant woman.

Eckmann's niece, Heather Sargent, was murdered in January 2003. Heather Sargent was killed when her husband stabbed her dozens of times. Sargent was eight months pregnant and both she and her son Jonah died as a result.

Maine had no unborn victims law at the time Heather was killed and her husband will only face charges resulting from her death.

Yet, in a cruel twist of fate, police found several dead cats at the Sargent's home. In his rage, Sargent's husband had killed them too. Ironically, under state law, Sargent can be imprisoned for as much as one year for each of the cats he killed, but, can't be held liable for the death of a baby just a short time away from birth.

"I promised Heather's dad and mom that we would pass a bill that acknowledged Jonah as a victim," Eckmann said in a phone interview with the Bangor News. "I'm disappointed in that respect."

"Meanwhile, we've started a political action committee called Justice for Jonah to help raise money to amend this [bill] or to do something else," she added.

One possibility is to raise funds for a statewide referendum on changing the law to recognize two victims in such crimes.