The surrogate
It begins with a woman who yearns for a baby and another who is willing and able to give her one. You can imagine the motives of the prospective parents. But what about the woman willing to carry a baby, give birth and then walk away?
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PORT RICHEY — Two years ago, inside the Target store off U.S. 19, Christine Jamison told her co-workers she felt sick.
After a few trips to the restroom, the stock worker came out with blood on her clothes. She went home.
A co-worker later found a dead baby girl in the bathroom trash.
In the words of her family's attorney, Jamison had "panicked" and "didn't know what to do."
On Friday afternoon, Jamison, now 31, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to five years in prison. An autopsy determined that the baby had been born alive on Sept. 11, 2006, one month premature.
Jamison — who, family and neighbors earlier testified, has limited mental capacity — stood stoically with her parents by her side during a 10-minute hearing at the West Pasco Judicial Center.
Circuit Judge Thane Covert acknowledged Jamison's learning disabilities and asked whether she understood the plea deal.
Covert said Friday that he found Jamison to be "alert and intelligent" and accepted a request by public defender Phil Cohen to have his client placed in a facility close to her parents' home in Hudson.
Jamison's family declined to comment. But the family's representative and attorney, J. Larry Hart, said he talked to Jamison about why she threw the baby away.
"She panicked," Hart said. "She didn't know what to do. For somebody with developmental disabilities like that, it's not uncommon. She doesn't process information quickly."
After an autopsy determined that the baby had been born alive, she was charged with second-degree murder. Under the terms of her plea Friday, however, she was convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter.
Hart said Jamison has said she is remorseful about what happened that day.
"Not a day goes by that she doesn't think about it," Hart said.
Camille C. Spencer can be reached at cspencer@sptimes.com or (727) 869-6229.
[Last modified: Aug 10, 2008 01:01 PM]
Comments on this article
by Candi
Aug 10, 2008 1:01 PM
She didn't know what to do? Is she crasy? 31 yr's old, and does this awful act. This child could have been put up for adoption, with love and compassion. What was her job duties at Target? Cleaning bathroom's ? And why manslughter ? not murder !
by Susan
Aug 10, 2008 1:01 PM
I'm glad it's over and she pleaded guilty. There was no other way for her to plea since she DID do it.
She deserves a longer sentence for what she did.
by JOANNE
Aug 10, 2008 12:21 PM
THEY SHOULD HAVE LET HER GO I'M SURE SHE WILL THINK ABOUT WHAT SHE DID THE REST OF HER LIFE. THAT WILL BE PUNISHMENT ENOUGH WHAT IS PUTTING SOMEONE LIKE HER IN PRISON GOING TO DO. MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE FAMILY.
by John
Aug 10, 2008 10:11 AM
She should get the death penalty. And I wonder, who would be having sex with somebody with "limited mental capacity"
by hodwie
Aug 10, 2008 10:10 AM
throwin away a baby is not right at all. she had a job and ins, why did she choose to do what she did, cause her job wouldn't pay for an abortion,,that would be the real reason,all the rest is bull.what a uneducated person this is good for target..
by lori
Aug 10, 2008 10:08 AM
as parents of a person like this.she should have been better supervised.this should have never happened? who's the dirt bag, that got her pregnant?
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