Abstract

An anencephalic infant died in the Neonatal Intensive Care unit six hours after birth. Eighteen months later, in a discussion of intrusive federal “Baby Doe” regulations with co-workers at the hospital, a registered nurse mentioned that he had found a way to avoid these provisions, and that he had in fact done so on one occasion by killing this particular infant. A co-worker related his story to police, and the “wheels of justice” were set into motion. I describe the chronology of events and the pathologic findings in this case of infanticide, purportedly committed “with mercyaforethought.”

References

1.
Lyon
J
.
The death of Baby Doe
.
J Christ Nurs
1985
;
2
(
3
):
4
-
8
.
2.
Court refuses to order treatment for baby
.
The New York Times
15
04
1982
; Sect. D:21.
3.
Baby dies as lawyers press pleas on feeding
.
The New York Times
16
04
1982
; Sect. A:14.
4.
Charges weighed for parents who let baby die untreated
.
The New York Times
17
04
1982
; Sect. A:6.
5.
Indiana high court rejects case of retarded dead infant
.
The New York Times
06
06
1983
; Sect. A:20.
6.
Horan
D
.
Infanticide: when doctor's order reads “murder.”
RN
 0033-7021
1982
;
45
(
1
):
75
-
82
.
7.
Russell
C
.
US to issue rules to protect handicapped babies
.
The Washington Post
03
03
1983
; Sect. A:1.
8.
Doctors assail rules on handicapped infants
.
The New York Times
19
03
1983
; Sect. A:1.
9.
Schmeck
H M
 Jr
.
US panel calls for patient's right to end life
.
The New York Times
22
03
1983
; Sect. A:1.
10.
Perlez
J
.
US seeks data on baby deaths in Connecticut
.
The New York Times
02
05
1983
; Sect. B:2.
11.
Allegood
J
.
Man describes baby's death
.
The News & Observer
29
08
1985
; Sect C:1,2.
12.
In re State v Jonas, 85CRS 9328(3A NC
1985
).
13.
Allegood
J
.
Former Pitt nurse found not guilty in baby's death
.
The News & Observer
31
08
1985
; Sect. C:1.
14.
Allegood
J
.
Man gets 4-year sentence in death of newborn at Pitt hospital
.
The News & Observer
04
09
1985
; Sect. C:1.
15.
Duff
R S
,
Campbell
A GM
.
Moral and ethical dilemmas in the special-care nursery
.
N Engl J Med
1973
;
289
:
890
-
4
.
16.
Long
T A
.
Infanticide for handicapped infants: sometimes it's a metaphysical dispute
.
J Med Ethics
1988
;
14
:
79
-
81
.
17.
Manney
J
and
Blattner
J C
.
Infanticide: murder or mercy?
J Christ Nurs
1985
;
2
(
3
):
10
-
4
.
18.
Bopp
J
 Jr
.
Protection of disabled newborns: are there constitutional limitations?
Issues Law Med
1985
;
1
:(
3
)
173
-
200
.
19.
Davis
J A
.
The ‘baby Brown’ case and the Dr. Arthur verdict
.
J Med Ethics
1985
;
11
:
159
-
60
.
20.
Sheldon
T
.
Dutch court convicts doctor of murder
.
BMJ
 0959-8138
1995
;
310
(
6986
):1028.
21.
Allegood
J
.
Ex-Pitt nurse denies attempting to kill infant
.
The News & Observer
30
09
1985
; Sect D:1,2.
22.
The Medical Task Force on Anencephaly. The infant with anencephaly
.
New Engl J Med
1990
;
322
:
669
-
74
.
This content is only available via PDF.
You do not currently have access to this content.