Brittany Watts, 33, was charged after police searched her toilet following her miscarriage in September.

A Black woman in Ohio has been charged with a felony for abuse of a corpse after she miscarried into her toilet, according to a criminal complaint, and reproductive rights experts are warning that it could set a dangerous precedent if she is convicted.

The attorney for Brittany Watts and a campaign organized on her behalf called the charges against her unjust, saying they feared the case could open the door to similar prosecutions and lawsuits over miscarriages nationwide.

Just hours after Watts, 33, was admitted to a hospital for a life-threatening hemorrhage after she miscarried in her bathroom Sep. 22, police removed her toilet from her home and searched it for fetal remains, according to a GoFundMe set up to fund her legal expenses and home repairs.

“Ms. Watts suffered a tragic and dangerous miscarriage that jeopardized her own life. Rather than focusing on healing physically and emotionally, she was arrested and charged with a felony and is fighting for her freedom and reputation,” her attorney, Traci Timko, said in a statement.

      • @Retrograde
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        611 months ago

        Fine, and I won’t argue honestly

    • @sneezymrmilo
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      711 months ago

      Or Canada, the way the states operates seems pretty insane to us too tbh.

      • @Retrograde
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        511 months ago

        Fair and there are times I’ve lied in Europe and said my accent was Canadian out of fear of being automatically deemed as a shit human, so there you go

        • @[email protected]
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          fedilink
          711 months ago

          In the 60’s, 70’s and into the 80’s lots of American backpackers in Europe sewed Canadian flags to their packs so they’d be treated better … all because of Vietnam.

      • @WaxedWookie
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        111 months ago

        I think ISIS are probably looking at this, wondering if it’s a bit much.