Baby delivered from brain-dead woman on life support in Georgia

ATLANTA — The baby of a woman in Georgia who was declared brain dead and has been on life support since February was delivered early Friday morning, her mother said.

April Newkirk told WXIA-TV that 31-year-old Adriana Smith’s baby was born prematurely by an emergency cesarean section early Friday, the Atlanta station reported Monday night. She was about six months into her pregnancy. The baby, named Chance, weighs about 1 pound and 13 ounces and is in the neonatal intensive care unit.

“He’s expected to be okay,” Newkirk told the TV station. “He’s just fighting. We just want prayers for him.”

Newkirk said her daughter had intense headaches more than four months ago and went to Atlanta’s Northside Hospital, where she received medication and was released. The next morning, her boyfriend woke to her gasping for air and called 911. Emory University Hospital determined she had blood clots in her brain and she was declared brain-dead. She was eight weeks pregnant, according to WXIA.

Newkirk said Smith would be taken off of life support Tuesday.

The Associated Press reached called and emailed Emory Tuesday for comment. It is unclear why Emory decided to deliver the baby. The Associated Press has also tried to contact Newkirk.

Smith’s family said Emory doctors told them they were not allowed to remove the devices keeping her breathing because state law bans abortion after cardiac activity can be detected — generally around six weeks into pregnancy.

Georgia Republican Attorney General Chris Carr later issued a statement saying the law did not require medical professionals to keep a woman declared brain dead on life support.

“Removing life support is not an action ‘with the purpose to terminate a pregnancy,’” Carr said.

Newkirk said Smith loved being a nurse at Emory. She also has a 7-year-old son. Her family celebrated her 31st birthday Sunday with several advocacy groups. Newkirk did not speak at the event.

“I’m her mother,” Newkirk told WXIA. “I shouldn’t be burying my daughter. My daughter should be burying me.”