On March 20th, Georgia paramedics responded to a call about a woman, Serena Maria Chandler Scott, who was bleeding in her apartment. Upon arrival, the first responders determined she had experienced a miscarriage. However, the situation escalated when it was reported that the body of the unborn baby was discarded in a trash can. Following an investigation, charges were brought against Chandler Scott for concealing the deaths of her fetus and abandoning the body, though these charges were later dropped after she agreed to an autopsy. The autopsy revealed that she had a “spontaneous miscarriage” at about 19 weeks, which the fetus could not survive.
Chandler Scott’s case highlights the increasing number of women facing legal action related to pregnancy and miscarriage, particularly in states with restrictive abortion laws like Georgia. Under the state’s six-week abortion ban, laws recognize fetal personhood, complicating the legal landscape for women experiencing miscarriages. Legal experts warn that these trends could criminalize the natural occurrence of miscarriage, as studies show that 10-20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage.
Comparisons have been drawn to another case involving Brittany Watts, arrested for similar reasons after her miscarriage. Advocates claim that these prosecutions disproportionately affect women of color and those from low-income backgrounds. After the charges against Chandler Scott were dropped, reproductive rights advocates expressed relief but noted the psychological and emotional toll such incidents can have on women.
Georgia’s stricter abortion laws, including proposals to charge individuals who end pregnancies with murder, demonstrate the broader implications of these legal frameworks, prompting concerns from women’s health advocates about the impact on access to healthcare and women’s rights. The district attorney acknowledged the emotional challenges of the case, stating that the decision to drop the charges was made with consideration of the circumstances surrounding the loss.
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