Amari Marsh, 23, of Orangeburg, S.C., was charged with murder and homicide by child abuse after losing her pregnancy in 2023, according to a recent article from CNN.
During her second trimester, Marsh suddenly gave birth in the late hours of the night on a toilet in her off-campus apartment, panicked and covered in blood. “I couldn’t breathe,” said Marsh.
Three months after this tragic loss, law enforcement records reveal that Marsh was charged with murder by child abuse. Following this, she spent 22 days at the Orangeburg-Calhoun Regional Detention Center. Her original sentence was for her to be held there without bond and have the potential to face 20 years to life in prison. Being locked up for such a devastating loss can be highly traumatizing and life-altering.
However, Marsh was cleared by a grand jury this August, and her case will not proceed to trial.
“South Carolina state Rep. Seth Rose, one of Marsh’s attorneys, says, ‘It’s our position that she lost a child through natural causes,’” according to CNN.
Marsh’s dreadful story proposes concerns and questions about the condition of reproductive rights in this country, disparities in healthcare and pregnancy criminalization.
I feel no other way than that women’s reproductive rights should be a decision they have the right to make for themselves without being penalized. Every woman living in the United States should have equal opportunities and the choice to do as they please with their body without having to fear for their life. The fear women in America have regarding abortion can lead to unsafe terminations of pregnancy, health complications and even death. Is all of that really worth it for a woman to endure when they should have every right to a legal medical abortion performed by a doctor?
Likewise, education throughout schools and other educational systems should focus on proper sex education and information about reproductive rights so women in America like Marsh should not have to be so scared and feel alone in situations like this that are happening every day.
“Marsh’s case also highlights what’s at stake in November. Sixty-one percent of voters want Congress to pass a federal law restoring a nationwide right to abortion, according to a recent poll by KFF, the health policy research, polling, and news organization that includes KFF Health News,” CNN writes.
I agree that, ultimately, there is so much on the line for human rights in November. It is pretty concerning that only 61 percent of voters in America feel that Congress should pass a federal law restoring a nationwide right to abortion. The
fact that 39 percent of voters are against abortion rights is mind-boggling to me because women should not have to be told what to do with their bodies. Abortion should be a personal choice a woman has; she should never be controlled.
“Local and national anti-abortion groups seized on Marsh’s story when her name and mug shot were published online by The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg,” according to CNN.
“It was heartbreaking to see all those things. I cried so many times,” stated Marsh.
This puts Marsh in a bad light and adds additional stress to her life as if she has not already endured enough.
Ali Barretta can be contacted at
abarretta@kscequinox.com
