Oklahoma Woman Convicted of Manslaughter Following Miscarriage

A 21-year-old woman in southwest Oklahoma has been convicted of first-degree manslaughter after suffering a miscarriage in the second trimester of her pregnancy...

Brittney Marie Poolaw was sentenced to four years in prison after prosecutors claimed methamphetamine use caused the termination of her pregnancy.  

The medical examiner confirmed fetal congenital abnormalities as well as positive results for methamphetamine and amphetamine but did not testify that one was caused by the other. 

Brittney, who delivered her stillborn child at home at 17 weeks, spent a year and a half in jail awaiting trial because she could not afford bail. 

The National Advocates for Pregnant Woman released the following statement, “Ms. Poolaw’s case is a tragedy. She has suffered the trauma of pregnancy loss, has been jailed for a year and half during a pandemic, and was charged and convicted of a crime without basis in law or science.”