Welcome to Gaia! ::

Has anyone else been following the story of Christy Freeman?
This is the latest article.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/31/mother.charged.ap/index.html?imw=Y&iref=mpstoryemail

Apparently Christy went to the hospital where they determined that she had recently been pregnant, but she denied it. The hospital notified the authorities who searched her home where they found a deceased fetus. It was not a full term baby and at the time they had no reason to believe it had been intentionally killed. They continued the search of the home and found four more deceased fetuses.

Here's what really bothers me about this story. They are using words like "slaying" in the headlines, and referring to the fetus as the "murdered baby". The newest article says that they believe the fetus was stillborn and they still haven't proven that the the woman even did anything to cause the early delivery. Apparently she was charged with murder before they had even determined the cause of death for any of the fetuses.

Now I think it's really stupid and creepy that she kept the fetuses rather than going to the hospital and just admitting that she had a miscarriage, but I think it's ridicules that she is being charged with murder. At the very most I think she induced a miscarriage.

Whoa...this woman is nuts...

If they were fetuses, it wasn't murder. If this woman had multiple fetuses in her home, she needs help, not a murder charge. I can't imagine what she could be going through, not only to deny the existence of the fetuses, but to keep them in her home.

I completely agree with the media handling this poorly. However, I am not surprised that they would sensationalize something like this.

As for being charged with murder - that's retarded. Yes she should be arrested (evidence = bodies + reasonable suspicion of a crime = denial of having ever been pregnant)... but charged with murder before a cause of death? This is ridiculous.

If they hadn't found any fetuses in her home, would she still be charged with murder? I doubt it.

This lady needs help, seriously. And I don't think she murdered them anyways.

Let me take a stab at this.

The woman has 4 healthy living children?
The only complaint about them, was that the children were 'untidy'
and did not always wear coats in the winter.

Who cares if the kids are 'untidy'.
I grew up in a rough part of the city, seeing some little boy run down the
street with no pants on and with a dirty kool aid or Popsicle stained shirt never gained any serious looks.
It didn't mean that his mother didn't take care of him or love him.
What does being 'untidy' have to do with the amount of care a child receives?

The coats - What child do you know out there, likes putting a coat on?
I don't care if it's -10 out, I never liked putting on a coat in winter time.
Hell, I still don't.
A sweatshirt/hoodie and a long sleeved shirt is fine by me.

So here we are, 4 healthy children and a few dead fetuses.
And a bunch of bruises on Freeman's body.

The 4 healthy children alone should point out that she can't be that mentally ill.
I'm going to throw in some ideas about what could have happened.

- boyfriend abusive? Finds out she's pregnant and beats her till she miscarriages.
Nobody else seemed to realize she was pregnant, maybe he didn't either until later stages of the pregnancy.

- Lack of resources leading to self induced 'abortions'.
Maybe this is a family who is living on 'the edge' like millions of Americans
are. Another mouth to feed could put them in poverty.
Perhaps she is not able to pay $30 - 100+ for birth control every month and relies on less effective contraception, like condoms - that break/slip.
Or hopelessly useless method like 'pulling out'.

It's time to face something we've been neglecting.
Abortions are expensive.
Even if you don't have to travel half way around the earth to find a clinic,
you still have to shell out some $300 - $1000 for one abortion.

So she throws herself down some stairs, takes a few overly hot baths,
runs into things on purpose and 'viola' - a miscarriage.

- Actual genetic issue.
Has anyone done a karyotype on this poor woman?
Or checked that her and her husband are not like - cousins?

- Health complications.
Again, has anyone done anything to check the health of this woman?
If she tried to get help, she obviously knew there was something wrong with herself.
Maybe she has severe anemia - which could account for the bruises.

Oh and last but not least, the fetuses.
Anyone garnered that she might have been, you know, grieving over them? so she kept them close to her.

Or she did not know where else to put them.
Does anyone know where you put a late term fetus without arousing suspicion that you 'killed' it yourself? rolleyes
I'm sure there are hundreds if not thousands of cemetery's you can call up and be all "so I have this fetus I need to bury, is it ok if I swing by around 2 and ....."[/sarcasm]



[/stab]

Now I'm wondering, what do you do if you miscarry late enough during pregnancy that you actually have a dead fetus to deal with? Keeping it wrapped up under your bed or in the freezer obviously isn't a great choice. It seems like going to the hospital would arouse suspicion that you induced an abortion, but I bet an autopsy would probably clear that up.

Thank you, Trite-Elegy.

I don't feel the need to repeat your post but, it appalls me how this has been sensationalized and this suffering woman has been made out to be a murderer.