Woman Arrested for Fetal Homicide After Using Abortion Drugs
A 35-year-old woman was charged with fetal homicide in Kentucky after using illegal abortion drugs and burying the remains in her backyard
Kentucky authorities have filed serious charges against a 35-year-old woman accused of illegally terminating her pregnancy and then burying the remains in her backyard. The case has sparked widespread legal and social debate due to the state's strict abortion laws.
The accused was identified as Melinda Spencer, who was arrested Wednesday after visiting a health clinic in Campton. There, according to the police report, she told medical staff that she had ingested abortion drugs purchased online to terminate her pregnancy, a practice prohibited under Kentucky law.
According to the Kentucky State Police, Spencer admitted to taking the pills on December 26. Two days later, she buried the fetus—described by investigators as a “well-developed male fetus”—in a shallow grave in the backyard of her home on Flat Mary Road.
After obtaining a search warrant, officers found the remains wrapped in a white cloth, placed inside a light bulb box decorated with Christmas paper and then inside a plastic bag.
During questioning, Spencer reportedly confessed to ordering the medication after becoming pregnant by a man who was not her romantic partner. According to police, she stated that she didn't want the man to know about the pregnancy and decided to “abort the fetus on her own.”
Authorities have not yet determined the exact gestational age at the time the medication was taken. An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the fetus's stage of development and provide further information for the investigation.
In Kentucky, almost all abortions are prohibited. State law only permits the procedure when necessary to prevent death or serious physical harm to the mother, with no exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
Furthermore, the law expressly prohibits the distribution and use of abortion drugs.
Melinda Spencer faces multiple charges, including first-degree fetal homicide, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and first-degree promoting contraband. The fetal homicide charge carries a potential death penalty or, alternatively, life imprisonment if convicted.
The defendant is currently being held at the Three Forks Regional Jail in Beattyville while the legal proceedings continue.