California woman cleared of murder charge for baby’s death in home birth

Kelsey Carpenter, 34, pleads guilty to child endangerment after she gave birth at home in 2020 and called 911 when her baby died

California prosecutors have dismissed a murder charge against a woman who was facing life in prison after her newborn died during a home birth, resolving a case that sparked national outrage.

Kelsey Carpenter, 34, was arrested in November 2020 for child endangerment after she gave birth at home and called 911 when her baby did not survive. Although the county coroner deemed the death an “accident”, and state law prohibits the prosecution of women for pregnancy losses, the San Diego district attorney, Summer Stephan, charged her with murder “with malice”.