In Ohio this week, a jury refused to convict a teen accused of killing her newborn to keep her secret that she had been pregnant.
In Ohio vs. Richardson, the defense argued that the baby was stillborn.
The prosecution argued that Ms. Richardson had searched Google for “how to get rid of a baby” before giving birth.
In her own back yard, Richardson buried the newborn girl, whom officials didn’t find for two months, ensuring that evidence of any violence against the child would be beyond reach.
A doctor, whom Richardson saw only once, testified that at her only prenatal appointment–when the doctor confirmed the pregnancy and determined she was in the eighth month–Richardson made it clear that she didn’t want a baby. The doctor urged her to tell her mother–to tell someone.
But she didn’t–not even while she was in labor.
Not even as she was delivering the little girl on the floor of her bathroom in the middle of the night.
Not even, supposedly, when the child was born not breathing.
And not even after she dug a hole in the yard and covered the baby in two inches of dirt.
Ultimately, the jury found her guilty of abuse of a corpse. She will serve no jail time.
As I watched part of the proceedings against Richardson on Courttv last week, I couldn’t help but wonder how much our liberal abortion laws have affected such cases. Did it go through the minds of jurors that, but for a few days, the child could have been disposed of without dragging a teen through a trial?
In many places in this nation, it would have been legal for Richardson to abort her daughter–even when she found out she was pregnant at eight months–even right before birth. And she would never have to tell her mother.
A.E. Samaan: “Humanity has overcome the food chain, and having surpassed all other predators, has now turned to a strange form of cannibalism: humanity preys upon itself. We cull our own herd. We murder our own children. This is what we call ‘progress’.”
In Ohio, a young woman thinks she has her life back. She won’t be going to jail for murder.
She is free.
Or is she?
My heart aches for her. She may not know it now, but she will carry this for the rest of her life.
I completely agree, Ava. She will always have a question mark hanging over her. Thanks and God bless!
It makes me so sad that many people harden their hearts and look at an unborn baby as a “thing” or “a theory” and not as life. I know my perspective on abortion completely changed when I began to realize this wasn’t just empty, theoretical debate but rather dialogue about a real PERSON. Thanks for your constant and faithful writing on this topic.
Thank you, Jessica, for your passion for the unborn. God bless!
Heart Breaking, no words at all….thank you as always Sister for exposing reality to us and giving us something to pray about..
We need to pray for this young woman, Stephen. Thanks for your kindness! God bless!
This is a part of her life she will carry forever. So sad. Praying for her.
So happy to see people with compassion for her. Thanks, Melissa! God bless!
Thinking about my two sisters who are pregnant right now, news like this sickens me. But I know I must have a heart full of mercy and grace. This young teen – even though this was her decision – believed she had no other option. Even though actions like this are evil and truly sickening, I have to remember to fight against the lies and the rulers of the kingdom of the air, not against teenagers who have fallen prey to Satan’s lies. Thanks for always being willing to write about tough things!
Thanks for being willing to read the difficult things, Emily. It’s hard to find grace in ourselves for this young woman, but it’s just what she needs. God bless you–and your sisters and new babies!
I can’t imagine what life experience/teaching creates the thinking that it would be better to dispose of a baby than to have to face the reality of revealing a sin. You are right, we are dehumanizing our people. May God help us!
I can’t imagine either–as hard as it would be. Babies can turn out to be our best blessings. Thanks, Beth, and God bless!
What pain. How we need God’s grace. And hope to fill our hearts!
Amen, Ava. God’s grace can redeem even this situation. Thanks and God bless!
Such a sobering post, Nancy. I love your devotion to such a painful topic in our country. I also loved the quote by Samaan – this is what we call “progress.” Anything, but. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us. Blessings!
Thank you, Lisa. God bless!
Such a sad story. We certainly live in a mixed up world that makes a difference between taking a baby’s life after delivery and abusing a corpse, to killing an innocent child all the way through a pregnancy.
Thanks, Karen. It’s hard to draw a line. The Ohio prosecutor tried to. And during sentencing, the judge tried to. But the result is the same. God bless–all of us.
Our national depravity grows daily in showing and appalling ways. Unless God intervenes we are surely lost and without hope. We need an awakening, a revival, a turning again to the Lord. God have mercy!
We do indeed, Melinda. And remember that the verse I used at the beginning of the post promises a rebuke. We need to turn around now. Thanks and God bless!
Even 35 years ago when I was a crisis pregnancy counselor, the abortion-trumps-life mindset thrived. I remember one girl telling me, “Let someone else raise my baby? No. Better that I abort it.”
My training hadn’t prepared me for that comment. But so many people believe this. With a worldview that a preborn child is not a life, we can only pray that God will change those hearts and minds.
I’ve never understood that mindset either, Linda. We think of the children as being there for us–not that we are there for them. Thanks for commenting! God bless!
This played out right here in Cincinnati where I live.
That’s right. So sad and even more real when it’s the local news instead of something happening far away. Thanks for reading and commenting, Mitch. God bless–and God bless Cincinnati.
This makes my heart hurt. There is no doubt, the dehumanizing of America is real. In many, many areas. Lord, have mercy!
Amen, Melissa! Thanks for commenting and praying. God bless!