Free & Just Condemns Criminalization of Georgia Woman’s Miscarriage While State Legislature Moves Legislation to Classify Abortion as Homicide
For Immediate Release
March 28, 2025
Contact: Malachi White, malachi@freeandjust.us
Free & Just Condemns Criminalization of Georgia Woman’s Miscarriage While State Legislature Moves Legislation to Classify Abortion as Homicide
24-year-old, Selena Maria Chandler Scott, found unconscious and bleeding still sits in jail for criminalized miscarriage.
WASHINGTON, DC –– This week, law enforcement arrested Selena Maria Chandler Scott, 24, after she suffered a miscarriage. She is being wrongfully charged with “concealing the death of another person” and “throwing away or abandonment of a dead body” due to Georgia’s extreme anti-abortion laws. She is currently in jail.
Between 10% and 20% of all known pregnancies end in miscarriage. Meanwhile, instead of pushing efforts to prioritize the health and safety of women and patients in Georgia, Republicans are moving another extreme bill (HB 441) that would be a total ban on abortion — going even further than what is current state law. This showcases the fact that Republican lawmakers care more about infringing people’s rights than ensuring the wellbeing of patients seeking care. As of today, Republican lawmakers across ten states including Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Iowa, Idaho and North Dakota, have introduced legislation that aims to charge pregnant women with homicide if they seek out or receive abortion care.
“My daughter waited 20 hours for emergency care and ultimately lost her life. I don’t want another mother to experience the loss I have suffered,” said Shanette Williams, whose daughter Amber Nicole Thurman lost her life in Georgia after being denied timely medical care due to the state’s abortion ban. “Arresting people who experience miscarriages will not keep women and families safe in Georgia.”
“I have been an ultrasound tech in Georgia for 20 years, and what is happening to Ms. Scott and others like her is inhumane and unbecoming of our country,” said Suki O, an ultrasound technician who helps abortion patients in the Atlanta area. “I’ve seen first-hand the impact of the Dobbs decision on my patients, many of whom have had miscarriages or other tragic situations due to fetal anomalies, ectopic pregnancies, or simply not having access to timely medical care when they need it most. What is happening to Ms. Scott is an injustice and abuse of a law that already infringes greatly on the rights of women in Georgia.”
“Abortion bans in a post Roe world are not only killing women, but also criminalizing women who lack access to lifesaving care even after having a miscarriage. People across the country are enduring devastating loss and fear because of ongoing attacks on access to reproductive health care, and there is no excuse for the trauma inflicted on these people, including Selena,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “Abortion bans are killing women and instead of working to protect families, lawmakers are going out of their way to punish pregnant women who are already grieving devastating losses. What’s happening to this young woman is a reflection of the priorities of extreme anti-abortion legislators in Georgia and across the country.”
If you are interested in speaking with Shanette Williams and Suki O about their experiences in Georgia, or other storytellers living in Georgia regarding living in a post Roe world, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. If you are interested in learning more about the research gathered regarding state-level abortion bans and federal activity, please contact malachi@freeandjust.us.
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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.