A South Dakota woman is charged after an Omaha baby died during a home birth. The attorney general will prosecute the midwife who attended the home birth because they say she was unauthorized. Judy Jones was first licensed to practice medicine in Nebraska in the 1960s at a medical facility. Home birth is also legal, but not if only a midwife is present. Douglas County said Jones knew all of this, and that’s why she’s being charged. -Judy Jones, one year old. “We have learned that a person at the home by the name of Judy Jones, who claims to be a certified midwife, is carrying out the birth of this new child,” said Chief Deputy Wayne Hudson of the county sheriff’s office. of Douglas. Office The baby girl’s death led deputies to look into Jones’ license to practice medicine. “Our investigation showed that a few years ago she received a cease and desist order from the Nebraska Attorney General’s office. So during the investigation, we determined that she should not have been in this house to perform this function,” Hudson said. before, where the child died. This order also references a 1999 cease and desist issued to Jones by the Nebraska Board of Medicine and Surgery for attending home births. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said there was another open case against Jones this year in Madison County. “Our investigation found two other counties in which she did this,” Hudson said. licensed by any government agency.Jones turned herself in to authorities on Friday after the attorney general’s office charged her with violating a cease and desist order and practicing unlic “What ‘she told us is that she’s practiced and delivered over 1,200 babies,” Hudson said. If convicted, Jones faces up to 20 years in prison or a $25,000 fine. The sheriff’s office said it supports parents’ choice to give birth at home, which is legal and supports the practice of midwifery, as long as it is practiced correctly. “Just follow the rules and obey the law. If there are any rules or laws that need to be changed, use the appropriate procedures to change those laws,” Hudson said. The family of the little girl who died in March did not want to be identified, but said they support Jones and do not want charges brought against her. They think Nebraska is behind on home birth options and hope the laws will change. Jones will be in court next month.
A South Dakota woman is charged after an Omaha baby died during a home birth.
KETV NewsWatch 7 first reported the story in March, when Douglas County deputies were called to a west Omaha home for a newborn baby who was not breathing.
Now the Nebraska attorney general will prosecute the midwife who attended the home birth because they say she was unlicensed.
Judy Jones was first licensed to practice medicine in Nebraska in the 1960s.
As a midwife, it is legal to perform a home birth in the presence of a doctor or in a medical facility.
Home birth is also legal, but not if only a midwife is present.
Douglas County said Jones knew all of this, and that’s why she’s being charged.
A 911 call for a newborn baby not breathing is what sparked an investigation into 75-year-old Judy Jones.
“We have learned that a person at the home by the name of Judy Jones, who claims to be a certified midwife, is carrying out the birth of this new child,” said Chief Deputy Wayne Hudson of the county sheriff’s office. of Douglas.
The baby girl’s death led deputies to look into Jones’ license to practice medicine.
“Our investigation showed that a few years ago she received a cease and desist order from the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office. So during the investigation, we determined that she did not shouldn’t have been in this house to perform this function,” Hudson said.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services issued the order in 2012 after discovering she had attended an illegal home birth the previous year, where the baby had died.
This order also references a 1999 cease and desist issued to Jones by the Nebraska Board of Medicine and Surgery for attending home births.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said there was another open case against Jones this year in Madison County.
“Our investigation found two other counties in which she did this,” Hudson said.
The sheriff’s office said that according to documents provided by the girl’s family, Jones acknowledged the cease and desist orders in the birth plan agreement and states that she is only authorized by no government agency.
Jones turned herself in to authorities on Friday after the attorney general’s office charged her with violating the cease-and-desist and unlicensed midwifery order that the sheriff’s office issued a mandate.
“What she told us is that she has practiced and delivered over 1,200 babies,” Hudson said.
If convicted, Jones faces up to 20 years in prison or a $25,000 fine.
The sheriff’s office said it supports parents’ choice to give birth at home, which is legal and supports the practice of midwifery, as long as it is practiced correctly.
“Just follow the rules and obey the law. If there are any rules or laws that need to be changed, use the appropriate procedures to change those laws,” Hudson said.
The family of the little girl who died in March did not want to be identified, but said they support Jones and do not want charges brought against her.
They believe Nebraska is behind on home birth options and hope the laws will change.
Jones will be in court next month.