Woman 'Cuts Baby From Expectant Mother's Womb'

A woman has been accused of stabbing an expectant mother in the stomach and removing her baby.

The attack took place as the pregnant woman visited the alleged attacker's home to buy baby clothes advertised on Craigslist in Longmont, Colorado, authorities said.

Officers called to the residence by the 26-year-old victim, who was seven months pregnant, found her stabbed and beaten.

She underwent surgery and is expected to recover, but the baby did not survive.

The suspect, named in local reports as 34-year-old Dynel Catrece Lane, arrived at a hospital with the baby and told staff she had suffered a miscarriage, Longmont police Commander Jeff Satur told the Daily Times-Call newspaper.

"This is a tragic case for a mother right now," he said.

"She came by this house. She was attacked, and her baby was removed from her."

Investigators said the two women did not know each other.

Lane was arrested at the hospital on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault and child abuse-knowingly and recklessly resulting in death.

Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett said that homicide charges may not apply to an unborn child.

"The issues involving an unborn child are complicated under Colorado law," he said.

"In most circumstances, if a child was not actually born alive, then homicide charges are not possible."

A relative has told AP news agency that the accused lost her own child more than a decade ago when he accidentally drowned.

Aaron Cruz, the boy's paternal grandfather, said Lane's son was 19 months old when he fell into a shallow pond.