Cesarean Kidnappings (Fetal Abduction): A Checklist

 

Cesarean Kidnapping: the kidnapping of a child from the womb by means of cesarean section. Individual perpetrators seem to be exclusively women, sometimes with an accomplice (male or female). An area which requires further study is cesarean kidnapping under governmental supervision such as those committed in Argentina during the “Dirty War.”

A 2002 article by forensic psychologist Anne Burgess offered the label "newborn kidnapping by Caesarean section" to describe this type of crime. (Journal of Forensic Sciences, Jul. 2002)

 30 Cases Total Known Internationally 1974-2015 (23 in USA).

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1) 1974 – Sweeney – 1 Murder.

Date of Crime: ca Nov. 13, 1974; Nov. 18, 1974 (body found), Frankfurt, Pennsylvania.

Mother: Margaret Sweeney (26), shot 3 times & hacked 20 times with hatchet; has 3 children, 18 mo plus 2 living with estranged husband.

Perpetrator: Winifred Ransom (35): acquitted Jul. 11, 1975 as insane “schizophrenic.”

released as “cured” in 1977.

C-Section: removed baby with “butcher knife.”

Child: girl (8 months), survived.

2) Argentina (1976 – 1983 – Multiple cases in Argentina “Dirty War”).

Dates of Crimes: 1976 – 1983.

Mothers: Many thousands of victims (collectivist rather than individualist crimes; democide).

Perpetrator: Collectivist government dictatorship, Argentina.

Adopters: military officers & others chosen by military dictatorship.

C-Section: Performed by physician under government sanction.

Children: fake identity papers, adopted out but told adopters are real parents.

NOTE: It is likely that other government-sanctioned cases from other collectivist regimes will be added later.

3) 1987 – Ray – 1 murder.

Date of Crime: Jul. 24, 1987, Albuquerque, New Mexico (Jul. 23?).

Mother: Cindy Lynn Ray (23), strangled; Father is Samuel Ray; Mormons.

Perpetrator: Darci Kayleen Pierce (19), the wife of an airman stationed at Kirtland Air

Force Base (sentenced to life imprisonment); appealed in 1998.

C-Section: had surgery tools and medical books ready, but didn’t have access so used

“plan-B,” Car key.

Child: girl, Amelia Ray (8 ½ months), survived; 6 lb, 2 oz, 2 weeks “premature.”

Book: Jim Carrier, Hush Little Baby, 1992.

4) 1992 – Lugo – Survived.

Date of Crime: Sep. 1, 1992; Brownsville, Texas & Matamoros, Mexico.

Mother: Laura Lugo (25); Kidnapped to Mexico for C-Section in Clinica Matamoros.

Recovered child after 2 years; Murdered a year later in unrelated crime.

Perpetrators: Paulyna Botello (31?), extradited to Mexico after losing custody of child;

Rosa Botello.

C-Section: Performed by Cecilia Noble, licensed Midwife in Matamoros, Mexico.

Child: boy, Jorge Daniel, survived; but K’d for 2 years before recovery; falsified birth records.

5) 1995 – Evans / Ward – 3 Murders.

Date of Crime: November 16, 1995: Addison, Illinois.

Mother: Deborah Evans, stabbed repeatedly, shot in head.

Other victims: 2 children; Jordan (1 ½ survived), Joshua Evans (7) poisoned, Samantha

Ward (10) stabbed.

Perpetrators: Fedell Caffey, Jacqueline Annette Williams (adopter) sentenced to death,

Levern R. Ward (father of cv); clemency 2002.

C-Section: Scissors.

Child: boy, Elijah (Ward/Evans), 9-month survived.

Book: Bill G. Cox, Special Delivery, 2001.

6) 1996 – Curry – 1 murder.

Date of Crime: Jan. 31, 1996 Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Mother: Carethia Curry (17), shot twice in head, boy sealed in trash can and dumped into

Ravine.

Perpetrators: Felecia Scott (29), “best friend” of victim; has 2 sons; sentenced to life without parole; Frederic Polion (37), sentenced to 20 years, Angela Burton (Felicia Scott’s sister) convicted of hindering prosecution, sentenced to 17 years, conviction overturned.

C-Section:

Child: girl (9 mo), survived.

Book: Diane Fanning, Baby Be Mine: The Shocking True Story of a Woman Accused of

Murdering a Pregnant Mother to Steal Her Child, 2006.

TV: “Arrest & Trial” (TV series) “Baby Snatcher” episode (2000).

7) 1998 – Flores – 2 Murders.

Date of Crime: Sep. 14, 1998; Fresno, California.

Mother: Margarita Flores (40); body dismembered, found in Tijuana; Father: Heliodoro Cruz.

Perpetrator: Josephine Sonia Saldana (40); Serafin Rodarte (“Witness”) suicide.

C-Section: Method unknown: only head, forearm and hand were found.

Child: girl, Doraelia (8 ½ mo), died.

8) 2000 – Ganief – Attempted Murder.

Date of Crime: Mar. 2, 2000; Cape Town, South Africa.

Perpetrator: Lazerene Mannoe, 26, former Nambian police officer, pregnant; She was found unfit for trial and declared a ward of the state.

Mother:  Tasmidah Ganief, 16, survived; rescued by Vannessa Poleman, 17, Donovan Meiring, 16, and Shamiel Hassiem.

C-Section: breadknife & scissors.

Child: boy, survived.

9) 2000 – Draper – 2 murders.

Date of Crime: June 17, 2000; Fernley, Nevada.

Mother: Kathaleena Louisa Draper (17), asphyxiated, rubber glove in throat, body found in dump in garbage bag.

Perpetrator: Erin Rae Kuhn Brown (31), aunt; Adoption dispute.

C-Section: Butcher knife.

Child: boy, died; found in garbage bag.

10) 2000 – Andrews – 1 Murder.

Date of Crime: Sep. 27, 2000: Ravenna, Ohio.

Mother: Theresa Andrews (23), shot in back.

Perpetrator: Michelle Zonko Bica (39), suicide, locked self in bedroom when police arrive for questioning shot herself, baby was sleeping nearby.

C-Section: method unknown.

Child: Oscar Gavin Andrews (9 months), b survived.

11) 2002 – Kaiser – Attempted Murder.

Date of Crime: Dec. 16, 2002; Fullerton California.

Mother: Elsa Kaiser (30), survived; stabbed; F = husband.

Perpetrator: Charnetta Simmonsabduel (Charnetta Lavia Simmons) (30), sentenced to life

C-Section: Victim escaped before incision.

Child: (9 mo), survived, born Dec. 20, 2002.

12) 2003 – Simpson – 2 Murders.

Date of Crime: Dec. 22, 2003: (last seen) Holdenville, Oklahoma.

Mother: Carolyn Simpson (21), shot in head; Father, Allen Simpson.

Perpetrator: Effie Goodson (37), acquaintance, not tried (“incompetent”).

Preparation: faked pregnancy; baby shower.

C-Section: Method unknown.

Child: boy (6 mo), died.

13) 2004 – Cartagena – Attempted Murder.

Date of Crime: Jun. 1, 2004, Girardot, near Bogota, Colombia.

Mother: Solangela Cartagena (25); saved by surgery; drugged, Caesarean was professional” yet “leaves, stones and sand were found in the womb” witnessed by Nicole (2).

Perpetrator: Luzmila Fierro, mother of 6.

C-Section: Razor blade (torn uterus).

Child: boy, Miguel (8 mo) survived.

14) 2004 – Stinnett – 1 Murder.

Date of Crime: Dec. 16, 2004, Skidmore, Missouri.

Mother: Bobbie Jo Stinnett (23), throat cut, strangle?; Father: Zeb Stinnett.

Perpetrator: Lisa Montgomery (36), custody dispute with ex.

C-Section: kitchen knife.

Child: girl, Victoria Jo Stinnett, survived.

Book: Diane Fanning, Baby Be Mine, Aug. 2007.

15) 2005 – Brady – Attempted murder.

Date of Crime: Feb. 13, 2005; Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.

Mother: Sarah Brady (26), survived.

Perpetrator: Katie Smith (22), killed by victim; previous false sexual abuse accusation sent her father to prison; conviction overturned on Mar. 31, 2006.

Preparation: Faked pregnancy.

C-Section: Escaped before incision; preparation: surgical gloves, cutting instruments, medical gauze, homemade umbilical clamp.

Child: McKaila Grace, survived, born on February 16, 2005.

Book: Sarah Brady, Patrick Crowley & Eric Deters, Saving Grace: The True Story of a Mother-to-be, a Deranged Attacker, and an Unborn Child, Nov. 10, 2006.

TV: Oprah, “Headline-Making Survivors,” 2006.

16) 2005 – Oskin – Attempted Murder.

Date of Crime: Oct. 12, 2005; Pattonville, Pennsylvania.

Mother: Valerie Oskin (30), struck in head by baseball bat & tire iron, sliced; rescued by Adam (17) & Andrew (his father) Silvis; survived (barely) through surgery; permanently diminished sense of taste & smell

Perpetrator: Peggy Jo Conner (38); sentenced to 22-50 years.

C-Section: Box cutter.

Child: survived: boy, adopted out.

17) 2006 – Tunstall – 5 Murders.

Date of Crime: Sep. 15, 2006 (first body found) Sep. 21; East St. Louis, Missouri.

Mother: Jinella Tunstall (23); bludgeoned with blunt object, bled to death.

Other victims: 3 children drowned: DeMond Tunstall (7), Ivan Tunstall-Collins, (2 ½), and Jinella Tunstall (1 ½); bodies found in washer & dryer.

Perpetrator: Tiffany Hall (24).

C-Section: Scissors.

Child: (7 mo) died.

18) 2007 – Howard – Attempted murder (abandoned).

Date of Crime: July 31, 2007; Clinton, Missouri.

Mother: Amanda Howard (18), survived; tied up; attempt to break neck by twisting head violently.

Perpetrators: Lauren M. Gash (19), Alisa D. Betts (17); Myspace contact.

Preparation: False birth certificate found.

C-Section: escaped before incision; prepared: scissors, x-acto knife.

Child: boy, Ethan Damon Howard, survived, born Aug. 1.

19) 2008 – Camacho Gomez – 1 Murder.

Date of Crime: June 27, 2008, Pasco, Washington.

Mother: Araceli Camacho Gomez (27), stabbed multiple times in the chest.

Perpetrator: Phiengchai Sisouvanh Synhavong (23); feigned insanity to avoid trial.

Preparation: hands and feet bound by yarn.

C-Section: box cutter.

Child: boy, Salvador Gomez, critical condition, survived.

20) 2008 – Johnson – 1 Murder.

Date of Crime: July 17, 2008, Wilkinsberg, Pennsylvania.

Mother: Kia Johnson (19), stabbed.

Perpetrator: Andrea Curry-Demus (38).

Preparation: bound with duct tape at the wrists and ankles, and there were also layers of duct tape and plastic covering much of her head.

C-Section: “A very sharp instrument” was used to cut open her belly.”

Child: boy, Terrell, survived.

21) 2009 – Snively – 2 Murders.

Date of Crime: June 5, 2009, Hillsboro, Ore.

Mother: Heather Snively (21), murdered, body stuffed in a crawlspace beneath Roberts's kitchen.

Perpetrator: Korena Elaine Roberts (27), met through Craigslist.com.

C-Section: (not described).

Child: boy, taken by Roberts to hospital, died.

22) 2009 – Haynes – 1 Murder.

Date of Crime: July 23, 2009, Worcester, Mass.

Mother: Darlene Haynes (23); murdered, last seen alive, Jul 23; mother of 3 other chn, 5, 3, 18 mo; Body found Monday, decomposing, Jul 27; Died from fractured skull.

Perpetrators: Julie Corey (35), (Alex Dion vindicated); Plymouth, NH, place of arrest, Wednesday Jul 29

Preparation: faked pregnancy.

C-Section: (not described).

Child: girl, 4 lbs., alive, Sheila Marie.

23) 2009 – Adams – 1 Murder.

Date of Crime: Dec. 1, 2009, Suitland, Maryland.

Mother: Teka Adams (29), homeless, kidnapped on Dec. 1 & bound; survived.

Perpetrator: Veronica Deramous (40), New Hampshire/Maryland; assisted by 17-y-o son.

C-section: cut: box cutters and knives; “abdomen was cut and her intestines, stomach and placenta were exposed,” escaped before baby was removed. Escaped after 4 days.

Child: girl, survived, Miracle Sky.

24) 2011 – Stice – 1 Murder.

Date of crime: April 14, 2011, Oakland, Kentucky.

Mother: Jamie Stice, 21; father ex-boyfriend James Reynolds.

Perpetrator: Kathy Michelle Coy, 33; shocked her with a stun gun, slit her wrists.

Preparation: stole sonogram photo; planned crime for months; used Facebook.

C-section: drywall knife.

Child: boy, Isiah, survived.

25) 2011 – Ramirez-Cruz – 2 Murders.

Date of crime: Oct. 6, 2011, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Mother: Maritza Ramirez-Cruz, 23, Christian Mercado, husband.

Perpetrator: Annette Morales-Rodriguez, 33; beat victim with baseball bat, strangled her, smothered her with plastic bag.

C-section: x-acto knife.

Child: boy, Omar, died.

26) 2015 – Wilkins – 1 Murder.
Date of crime: Mar. 15, 2015, Longmont, Colorado.
Mother: Michelle Wilkins, 26, stabbed in neck with broken glass, survived
Perpetrator: Dynel Catrece Lane, 34.
C-section: knife with 3-inch blade.
Child: girl (34 weeks maturity, named Aurora), died.

27) 2015 – Sutton – 1 Murder

Date of crime: Nov. 22, 2015, The Bronx, New York, N. Y.

Mother: Angelikque Sutton, 22, died.

Perpetrator: Ashleigh Wade, 22.

C-section: knife.

Child: Genesis, girl, 8 ½ mo., survived.

28) 2019 – Ochoa-Lopez – 2 Murders.

Date of crime: Apr. 23. 2019, Chicago, Illinois.

Mother: Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, 24, died.

Perpetrator: Carisa Figueroa, 44; accomplices: Desiree Figueroa, 24; Peter Bubak, 40.

C-section: butcher knife.

Child: boy, 9 mo., “zero brain activity.” 

 

29) 2020 – Mafra – 1 Murder

Date of Crime: Aug. 27, 2020; Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Mother: Flavia Godinho Mafra (24); struck with brick.

Perpetrator Rozalba Grimm (26), old school-friend.

C-Section: box-cutter.

Child: Cecilia (36 wks.), survived.

 

30) 2020 – Simmons-Hancock – 2 Murders

Date of Crime: Oct. 9, 2020; New Boston, Texas

Mother: Reagan Simmons-Hancock (21 or 22)

Perpetrator: Taylor Parker (27), aka Taylor Morton and Taylor Wacasey (arrested in Oklahoma)

C-Section: details unavailable.

Child: Braxlynn Sage Hancock (7 ½ months), died.

 

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Out of the 30 individual cases:

            21 mothers died.

            10 newborns died.

            2 involved the murder of other children (5 children total).

            4 cases involved accomplices.

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NOTE: The 1974 Sweeney case does not appear on most lists of cesarean kidnappers. The editor first placed this case online, naming it as the earliest known case of this type in 2009.

 

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Updated: July 13, 2021

 

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