The mothering instinct

[Gob]

Colorado police say a woman stabbed a pregnant mother in the stomach and took her unborn child.

The victim, who was seven months pregnant, is likely to survive following surgery, but the baby died.

The pregnant woman was visiting the suspect's home to buy baby clothes that had been advertised on Craigslist.

Police said the suspect, Dynel Catrece Lane, took the baby to a hospital, where she claimed that she had a miscarriage.

Police have arrested Ms Lane, 34, on charges including first-degree murder, according to local media reports.

She did not know the victim, police said.

According to the Daily Times-Call newspaper, police found the victim stabbed in the stomach on Wednesday at her home in Longmont, a small town north of Denver.

"She came by this house. She was attacked, and her baby was removed from her," Longmont Police Cdr Jeff Satur told the local newspaper.

Mr Satur said Ms Lane has two children of her own, and that her husband had driven her to the hospital before returning to the scene.

Ms Lane is expected to appear in court this afternoon.

[Lord Jim]

Sadly, this particular gruesome crime is not as uncommon as one would hope...

[MajGenl.Meade]

A tragic happening - awful. Craig's List is a valuable service but anyone meeting strangers for a proposed purchase must be more than extraordinarily vigilant. The old couple killed (South Carolina was it) a month or two back were well-versed in using a public place, making sure their partner was in a separate place in view and so on.... still they were killed. Doesn't seem to happen with e-Bay.