UPDATE: Crowdfunding Push To Bail Alabama Woman Charged With Manslaughter After Unborn Baby Died In Shooting
A pregnant woman in Alabama whose unborn baby died after she was shot in the stomach has been charged with manslaughter.
Marshae Jones was five-months-pregnant in December 2018 when she was shot in the stomach by Ebony Jemison during an argument.
Jones, 27, was charged after a Jefferson County grand jury found she was responsible for the death of the unborn child because she started the brawl, AL.com reported.
Jemison, 23, had initially been charged with manslaughter, but a grand jury failed to indict her and the charge was dismissed. At the time, police alleged Jemison had shot Jones in self-defence.
At the time of the shooting, Pleasant Grove police Lt Danny Reid said: “The investigation showed that the only true victim in this was the unborn baby. It was the mother of the child who initiated and continued the fight which resulted in the death of her own unborn baby.”
In comments reported by AL.com, he added: “When a five-month pregnant woman initiates a fight and attacks another person, I believe some responsibility lies with her as to any injury to her unborn child.
“That child is dependent on its mother to try to keep it from harm and she shouldn’t seek out unnecessary physical altercations.”
The ruling has attracted heavy criticism, including in the UK.
Jones was taken into custody on Wednesday and will be transferred to Jefferson County Jail where she will be held on a $50,000 bond.
In May, Alabama passed a bill for a near blanket ban on abortions, including in cases of rape or incest. Under the bill, doctors face 10 years in prison for attempting to terminate a pregnancy and 99 years for carrying out the procedure.