Ohio Woman Charged with Felony After Miscarrying Non-Viable Fetus

Case Sparks National Debate on Treatment of Pregnant Women Post-Roe v. Wade Overturn

Brittany Watts, a 33-year-old Black woman in Ohio, was charged with abuse of a corpse, a fifth-degree felony, after miscarrying a non-viable fetus at home and flushing it down the toilet.
Watts' case has sparked national outrage and debate over the treatment of pregnant women, particularly Black women, in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
At the time of Watts' miscarriage, abortion was legal in Ohio through 21 weeks, six days of pregnancy. Watts miscarried at 21 weeks and 5 days.
Watts' case has been sent to a grand jury. If convicted, she could face up to a year in prison and a $2,500 fine.
The case has highlighted the increasing criminalization of women's pregnancies, with experts noting that Black and brown women have been disproportionately targeted.