Rowland enters plea in death of twin baby

The woman charged with murder after initially declining a Caesarean section and giving birth to a stillborn twin has pleaded guilty to two lesser charges unrelated to the delayed C-section.

Melissa Ann Rowland, 28, was charged with first-degree murder after she declined certain medical treatment late in her pregnancy — including a recommended Caesarean section — and one of the twins she was carrying was born dead. The surviving twin has been adopted.

Rowland on Wednesday pleaded guilty to two counts of child endangerment, a third-degree felony, for exposing each fetus to cocaine while in the womb. The plea recommends that she be able to leave Utah upon sentencing for unsupervised probation in the state of her choice. An underlying prison sentence would be suspended.

Women's groups and advocates for the homeless and mentally ill were outraged.

"This is not justice," said Andrea Moore, president of the National Organization for Women's Utah chapter. "She didn't commit a crime. She waited to have a Caesarean section."

NOW joined eight other advocacy groups in issuing a written statement that said Rowland was "intimidated" into accepting the guilty pleas simply to get out of jail. "Melissa is a victim of an overzealous prosecutor, misguided medical personnel, a failed health- care system, and an abusive jail system," the statement said.

However, defense attorneys and prosecutors said they were satisfied.

Prosecutor Langdon Fisher said the plea's reduced charges resulted from new information about Rowland's mental health and personal history. "We believe these pleas are in the best interest of justice," he said.

Rowland has said during an interview with the Deseret Morning News that she had been institutionalized at age 12 and also said she has been extremely depressed, to the point of being suicidal, while in the Salt Lake County Jail.

Defense attorney Michael Sikora told the judge he had Rowland evaluated by a psychologist in jail and believes that she is competent to enter the plea bargain.

"All options were presented to Miss Rowland, and she decided it was in her best interests to resolve the case as soon as possible, and I support her decision," Sikora said outside the courtroom.

Third-degree felonies potentially carry a sentence of zero to five years in prison. But as part of the agreement, prosecutors will recommend that the judge suspend the prison time, put Rowland on probation and order her into a drug-rehabilitation program.