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Police: Dead baby in toilet at Wal-Mart was miscarried at 21 weeksTue, 03/18/2008 - 4:25pm
By: Ben Nelms
Fayetteville Police said Tuesday that a human fetus found dead Sunday afternoon in a restroom toilet at the Wal-Mart at Fayette Pavilion was the result of a miscarriage. The mother, a 38-year-old Riverdale woman, has been located, though her name is currently being withheld pending further investigation. Police have filed no charges at this point while the investigation continues. Officials said Tuesday the gestational age of the fetus was 21 weeks. Police Tuesday "received autopsy information from the Georgia Bureau of Investigations. The preliminary information indicated that the 38-year-old mother miscarried after 21 weeks. It was determined that the fetus was not viable." The incident came to light Sunday at approximately 1 p.m. when officers were called to the Fayetteville Wal-Mart to investigate a possible fetus found in a toilet in the women’s restroom, according to Fayetteville Police Public Information Officer Steve Crawshaw. Crawshaw said a Wal-Mart customer notified management that there was blood and a clogged toilet in the women’s restroom located in the front area of the store. A Wal-Mart employee was sent to unclog the toilet and found that it appeared to be clogged with toilet paper, said Crawshaw. While trying to clear the toilet paper the employee saw what looked like a fetus and immediately called 911, he said. Police arrived and secured the area. A Fayetteville Police Department crime scene investigator and the Fayette County coroner were called to the scene. A fetus was found and taken from the scene by the coroner for an autopsy at the Georgia Crime Lab. Authorities said Tuesday that the unborn baby was not viable — that is, it could not live outside the womb. Video from cameras inside the store helped officers determine the identity of the mother, Crawshaw said. Through their investigation, the mother was located, he said. Crawshaw said that at this stage investigators are not disclosing the mother’s name, and no charges have been filed. They need more information to determine if a crime was committed, he said. Fayette FACTOR social services collaborative Director Becky Smith said that, aside from live birth, a large range of physical conditions exist in pregnancy that can result either in miscarriage or spontaneous death of the fetus. Miscarriages occur prior to the 20th week of pregnancy and can be due to a host of factors related to the health of the mother or that of the embryo or fetus, Smith said. After the 20th week the death of a fetus can be attributed to a variety of physical conditions with the mother or fetus that result in spontaneous death or could occur as the result of an abortion method, Smith said. Click here to read earlier story and comments. login to post comments
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