A mother who suffered the loss of both her daughter and unborn grandchild has succeeded in a campaign to change the law in a US state.
Jennifer Lee’s daughter Brittany, who was two months pregnant, was killed by a gunman in an event she described as a “mother’s worst nightmare”.
Now Indiana’s Governor has signed a law allowing murder or manslaughter charges to be brought against someone accused of killing an unborn child.
Powerful step
“If someone kills a pregnant woman, they should not only be tried for her death, but also the death of the fetus”, Senator Aaron Freeman said.
Indiana’s Right to Life group welcomed the law, describing it as a “powerful step forward in recognizing and protecting the full humanity of unborn children at any stage of development”.
And while the law allows for a ‘lawfully permitted abortion’, the state’s pro-life group said it puts pressure on the status quo of abortion in America.
Nightmare
Following the deaths, Jennifer Lee launched a petition for legal change, powerfully explaining her experience.
“Never in a million years”, she wrote, “did I ever think I would be getting the worst call of my life”.
“On the other end of the phone they said that my daughter was fighting for her and her unborn baby’s life.”
“I wake up every night and day with the nightmares thinking about her fighting for her life and her unborn child because of a senseless act”, she said.
Nearly 4,000 people signed the petition and Senator Freeman then took up the cause in the Indiana legislature. Governor Eric Holcomb signed the law at the end of last month.
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