NYC Woman, 20, May Be Charged After Miscarrying and Leaving Fetus in Restaurant Bathroom: Officials
A 20-year-old woman may face criminal charges after reportedly miscarrying at a Manhattan restaurant last week, leaving the fetus behind and clogging the toilet, officials said this week.
The male infant, estimated to be 22 to 23 weeks gestation and weighing just over a pound, was discovered shortly before 10 a.m. Sept. 30 inside the washroom at Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine on Fulton Street near Gold Street downtown, according to police.
“As of right now, the [medical examiner’s office] states that it’s possible the fetus had taken one or two breaths, but not enough to sustain life,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters Tuesday.
According to Kenny, investigators suspect the woman, who had been a client at the restaurant the day before, went to the bathroom and most likely miscarried.
“She leaves the bathroom, and employees are alerted that the bathroom is dirty,” according to the boss. “The next day they come in and find that it’s clogged.”
According to the police official, the workmen quickly discovered the fetus in the toilet, still attached to its placenta and umbilical cord.
“Nothing abnormal about the child,” Kenny stated.
The NYPD is currently exploring the next measures with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
“Most likely, it would lead to [the mom’s] arrest for concealment of a human corpse, which is an E felony,” according to Kenny.
