No murder charge for woman accused of cutting baby from expectant mother's body

DENVER (AP) — Prosecutors say a Colorado woman accused of luring an expectant mother to a basement and cutting the baby from her belly will not be charged with murder.

Catherine Olguin, a spokeswoman for the Boulder County District Attorney's Office, said Thursday night that prosecutors won't bring the charge in the baby's death. But she declined to say why or what charges 34-year-old Dynel Lane will face.



Investigators say 26-year-old Michelle Wilkins was attacked when she went to Lane's Longmont home in response to a Craigslist ad for baby clothes on March 18. Wilkins survived the attack.

Police say Lane brutally attacked Wilkins, who was seven months pregnant.

Lane was arrested at Longmont United Hospital, where police say she arrived with a dead baby making claims about a miscarriage.

Boulder DA Stan Garnett has scheduled a news conference Friday afternoon to discuss the charges in this case, which were to be filed at that time.

Lane could face charges of attempted first degree murder, assault and child abuse causing death.

Wilkins spent a week in the hospital recovering from her injuries after she was left for dead and emergency personnel saved her life. She was released from the hospital Wednesday.

Colorado has twice rejected proposals to make the violent death of a fetus a homicide, refusing to join 38 other states and the federal government for fear such a law would be used to restrict abortions.

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