New York: A 33-year-old Indian-American woman, accused of neglect in the death of a newborn whose body was found in a restaurant trash bin, has also been charged with foeticide in the US.
Purvi Patel was initially charged with endangering the life of a newborn but St Joseph Superior Court, Indiana, allowed prosecuters to add the foeticide charge.
The infant's body was found outside a Mishawaka restaurant in July 2013 after Patel went to a hospital, The South Bend Tribune has reported.
Court documents allege Patel told medical staff that she had delivered a baby at home but believed that it was dead, but an autopsy ruled the infant was born alive.
Documents also allege Patel took drugs ordered from Hong Kong to try to abort the pregnancy.
Patel faces between six and 20 years in prison for foeticide and up to 50 years imprisonment for neglect of a dependent when she goes to trial, currently scheduled for September 29.
According to the report, Patel cut the umbilical cord herself and the baby was apparently alive when she dumped it.
Patel now faces two charges -- the initial count of neglect of a dependent, and the new charge of foeticide that was added last week.
Under Indiana law, a woman can only be convicted of neglecting a dependent if it can be proved that she gave birth to a live baby.
In a pre-trial court hearing on Tuesday, Patel's lawyer Jeffrey Sanford asked for a delay in the trial date to give his team more time to prepare a defence against the new foeticide charge.
Sanford asked St Joseph Superior Court to strike the amended charge, arguing he does not have time to launch a defence before the September 29 trial.
"They are different medical issues," Sanford said.
Purvi Patel was initially charged with endangering the life of a newborn but St Joseph Superior Court, Indiana, allowed prosecuters to add the foeticide charge.
The infant's body was found outside a Mishawaka restaurant in July 2013 after Patel went to a hospital, The South Bend Tribune has reported.
Documents also allege Patel took drugs ordered from Hong Kong to try to abort the pregnancy.
Advertisement
According to the report, Patel cut the umbilical cord herself and the baby was apparently alive when she dumped it.
Advertisement
Patel now faces two charges -- the initial count of neglect of a dependent, and the new charge of foeticide that was added last week.
Under Indiana law, a woman can only be convicted of neglecting a dependent if it can be proved that she gave birth to a live baby.
Advertisement
Sanford asked St Joseph Superior Court to strike the amended charge, arguing he does not have time to launch a defence before the September 29 trial.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Nigerian Man Visits 150 Fast Food Restaurants In 24 Hours To Set World Record Hyderabad Restaurant Raids: Food Safety Violations Found In And Around DLF Cyber City, Gachibowli 7 Dining Spots In Delhi To Celebrate Independence Day 2024 Video: Woman Tries To Jump Off Mumbai's Atal Setu, Saved By Driver, Cops Parents Gave Names Of Interns, Doctors To CBI In Kolkata Horror: Sources Private Jets, Luxury Cars: Lavish Life Of "Ketamine Queen" Jasveen Sangha Doctors Begin 24-Hour Nationwide Strike Over Kolkata Rape-Murder: 10 Points "Rs 2 Lakh Spent On Each Tree": Mumbai Metro Body's Revelation Sparks Row First Test Flight Of India's Human Space Mission Rocket Likely In December Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.