I know this case was being discussed here earlier today. Thought I'd give an update. What a horrible thing. I can't imagine what that woman's husband must be going through. At least he has his baby back. Hopefully she'll recover from all this and grow up strong and healthy.
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SKIDMORE, Mo. - A baby who was cut from her mother's womb during a grisly slaying was found in good health Friday, bringing relief to authorities who had spent the last day frantically searching for the little girl.
Two people were taken into custody, and the baby girl was transported to a hospital in Topeka, Kan., authorities said.
The discovery of the baby and possible arrests came a day after authorities arrived at 23-year-old Bobby Jo Stinnett's home and found her nearly dead. Paramedics tried to revive her, but she was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Sheriff Ben Espey believes Stinnett was strangled and resisted the attack, and authorities hoped that strands of hair found in her hands will yield clues into who the killers were. They were awaiting DNA testing to confirm the newborn is Stinnett's child, a factory worker who was eight months pregnant.
"The autopsy is going to show us there was some blond hair probably found in her hands," the sheriff said. "That would also help us with the DNA."
Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Sheldon Lyon said authorities were questioning a man and a woman who were in the same place as where the baby was found in eastern Kansas. A red Honda hatchback matching a description offered earlier by police was in the driveway of the home.
Doctors said the baby could have suffered a variety of traumas during the assault, including a lack of oxygen, but could likely survive if treated.
"Ninety-five percent are going to do pretty well given a modest amount of medical attention," said Dr. Perry Clark, medical director of the neonatal intensive care unit at The University of Kansas Hospital.
Espey said there was no indication of forced entry into Stinnett's small white home in this community of about 500 in the northwest corner of Missouri.
A neighbor, Bill Dragoo, said Stinnett and her husband raised dogs and "didn't bother anybody. It blows my mind that this happened. She was such a shy person. They didn't deserve this."
Espey was frustrated that it took hours for a statewide Amber Alert to be issued. The mother was found around 3:30 p.m, and the Amber Alert didn't appear until nine hours later.
"We had a live baby, and I thought that should qualify as an Amber Alert," he said. "The information I was getting was that we didn't have enough information such as hair color, eye color, skin complexion, size and weight."
Stinnett, married for little more than a year and expecting her first child, worked at an engine factory in nearby Maryville. Her husband was at work at the time she was killed, authorities said.
Several pregnant women have been killed in recent years by attackers who then removed their fetuses, in some cases to pass the children off as their own.
In the most recent case, a 21-year-old woman was shot to death in Oklahoma in December 2003, allegedly by another woman who pretended the 6-month-old fetus was her child. The fetus died and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
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I thought all writers drank to excess and beat their wives. You know one time I secretly wanted to be a writer.---C.K. Dexter Haven
What I cannot believe about this is that they are charging the woman with "kidnapping that led to the woman's death." Excuse me, but her death was not incidental. She was strangled for the express purpose of killing her! How about MURDER!!!
Doug, I agree with you on this. Obviously it was pre-meditated IMO, personally I think she should be charged with murder 1, and kidnapping. With the option of the death penalty if found guilty.
I was overjoyed when I heard they had found the baby, she appeared healthy and was reuninted with her father and grandparents.
There sure are some sick whacked out people in the world today.....[:@]
I think this is only the begining of what may turn out to be a long investigation into other such crimes.
If I understand things correctly the actor in this matter has two other children. Further, when the victim was discovered the investigators reported that the removal of the fetus, now child, was done with by someone with knowledge or skill.
How did this actor obtain the skill to do this? Had she done this before? What is the known history of any prior child births by her? What will the DNA of her other children tell us?
What a couple of sick SOBs.
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Now you have to picture a combination of PeeWEE Herman and Wally Cox but with less muscle tone, trying to be intimidating None of this is funny! Message edited by Cougar Mag -- 1/7/2005 1:16:42 AM >/b]
Missing Baby Found Alive...
