Woman stabs pregnant woman, takes fetus

A stranger stabbed a pregnant woman who answered a Craigslist ad and cut her fetus from the womb, authorities said

Police say the woman who placed the ad offering baby clothes for sale, Dynel Lane, 34, attacked the victim in Longmont, Colorado, on Wednesday.

Lane is charged with attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and child abuse knowingly/recklessly resulting in death, Longmont Police Cmdr. Jeff Satur said.

It’s expected that bond will be set at Lane’s first court appearance, scheduled for Thursday afternoon at the Boulder County Jail, he said.

Authorities responding to a call heard a woman inside a home screaming for help, Satur said.

When officers entered the home, they found the 26-year-old pregnant woman with stab wounds in the abdomen. She told them her fetus was cut out of her womb, authorities said. The victim was seven months pregnant, CNN affiliate KMGH reported, citing police.

“She was assaulted and stabbed, and her baby was removed,” Satur said.

The victim was transported to Longmont United Hospital, where she had surgery and is expected to survive.

“She is alert, answering questions and is with family,” Satur said.

Police said the suspect arrived at the hospital with the fetus at the same time as the victim, claiming a miscarriage. The unborn baby did not survive.

The name of the victim has not been released, but police said she did not know her attacker. Detectives are searching the home of the suspect.

Longmont police are asking anyone who may have responded to a Craigslist ad for baby clothes, posted by “D” or “Dynel,” or perhaps traveled to her home on Green Place in Longmont, to call (303) 651-8523.

A growing number of police stations have started offering “safe zones” for online sellers and buyers to conduct their transactions after recent deaths linked to the classified ads website.

In January, Elrey “Bud” Runion and his wife, June, were killed in Georgia when they went to look at a vintage car they’d asked to purchase through an ad on Craigslist. The man who apparently responded to their ad, claiming to have a car to sell, has been charged with murder.