Coroner: Baby girl ripped out of mom had no signs of life outside womb

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Friday, March 27, 2015
The unborn baby belonging to Michelle Wilkins, left, had no life outside its womb when it was allegedly removed by Dynel Lane, right, according to a coroner's report.
creativeContent-Courtesy of Michelle Wilkins / 7News / AP

A coroner's report from Boulder County states that the baby girl cut from her mother's womb was not born alive.

Michelle Wilkins was seven months pregnant when she was allegedly lured to the home of Dynel Lane in Longmont, Colo. with a Craigslist ad to buy clothes last week. That is where police say Lane stabbed Wilkins in the abdomen and cut out her unborn baby from her womb.

The baby did not survive, and now the Boulder County coroner says that the baby had no signs of life outside the womb.

"Neither the autopsy or the investigation have provided any evidence that the baby exhibited any signs of life outside of the womb," coroner Emma Hall told 7NEWS. "Therefore the circumstance is not being considered a live birth."

Hall said that the 34-week-old baby girl had no signs of trauma or other injuries. Wilkins managed to call 911 following the attack, and was later rescued and transported to Longmont United Hospital for surgery and treatment.

Lane arrived at that same hospital a few hours later with her husband and the deceased child. Lane claimed that she had had a miscarriage. However, Lane admitted to a detective that she had cut open Wilkin's abdomen to remove the child, according to 7NEWS.

Lane, who once held a license as a nurses aide, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder, first-degree assault and child abuse resulting in death. Officials said on Thursday that Lane would not be charged with the murder in the death of the unborn child, according to 7NEWS.

"The issue of whether or not murder charges are appropriate involving a case involving the death of a fetus or late-term pregnancy is always a difficult issue," Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett said. "Under Colorado law, there's no way murder charges can be brought if it is not established that the fetus lived as a child outside the body of the mother for some period of time."

However, the Boulder DA announced on Friday that Lane would be charged with attempted murder, assault and unlawful termination of pregnancy.

Wilkins has since been released from the hospital and is in a safe place, her family told 7NEWS. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay for Wilkins' medical bills and recovery.