Doctors Save Unborn Baby of Pregnant Teen Killed in Shooting

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Aug 22, 2011   |   6:19PM   |   Chicago, IL

Doctors in Illinois were able to save the unborn child of a young woman who was tragically killed in a shooting on the south side of Chicago.

The teen girl, 17-year-old Charinez Jefferson, begged the shooter to spare her life because she was pregnant, but the 18-year-old accused of taking her life and then shooting her again after she was killed, refused. This is one of many cases of violence against pregnant women that come up frequently in state after state across the nation.

Federal law and laws in more than two dozen states allow prosecutors to bring two charges in such crimes — for killing and injuring both mother and child in the commission of such crimes. However, pro-abortion groups have been successful in keeping the laws, which came up after the shooting deaths of Laci and Connor Peterson, out of some states.

Actions of groups like Planned Parenthood and NARAL make it so they are repeatedly on record opposing justice for women like Jefferson and her unborn baby. They say there is only one crime involved in cases like these, but clearly there are two victims — as a newborn baby will now grow up without a mother and with abortion activists saying Jefferson was the only victim involved. But Jefferson’s aunt knows better.

Excerpts from the story:

Moments before she was slain last week on Chicago’s Southwest Side, 17-year-old Charinez Jefferson begged the gunman not to shoot because she was pregnant, prosecutors said today.

Despite her plea, Timothy Jones, 18, opened fire on Jefferson anyway, yelling an expletive at her as he shot her in the head, prosecutors said. He then stood over her as she lay on the ground and fired several more times, striking her in the chest and back.

Jefferson was pronounced dead a short time later, but doctors were able to successfully deliver her baby boy, who remained in critical condition today, Assistant State’s Attorney John Dillon said.

“Tests are expected to be performed to determine whether the child has any brain activity, as there are concerns over the child possibly suffering from oxygen deprivation after the victim had been shot,” Dillon told Judge Laura Sullivan.

Sullivan denied bond for Jones, 18, who was charged with first-degree murder in the Aug. 16 slaying.

“I’m happy that he’s been caught before we even put her in the ground,” said Jefferson’s aunt, Devorah Hope. “This young man sent a message on the streets that an unarmed pregnant woman that’s not violent to nobody, it’s not safe.”

Jones had seen Jefferson walking with a rival gang member in the 3000 block of West 64th Street and approached them in a car, Dillon said. He got out of the vehicle and fired at least one shot at the rival, who ran off, leaving Jefferson to fend for herself. After begging Jones for mercy, Jefferson was shot at “point-blank range,” Dillon said.

Hope said that she pledged to attend every court hearing for her niece, though she could not bring herself to go inside the courtroom on Monday.

“I was too emotional, I was too upset to deal with that at this moment,” she said, reached by telephone after the hearings. “I’m angry because of what he’s done. Because we can’t bring Charinez back and we’ve got a baby that’s fighting his life.”

Hope said she’s trying to be positive for her sister.

“I haven’t eaten anything since this happened; just drink water and pray and listen to positive music to keep me in a positive mood so I can stand there with my sister, because we still got some living to do,” Hope said.