Charges in Pregnancy Scam, Baby Stealing Case
After 9 months of stuffing a pillow inside her clothes, forging birth certificates and attending baby showers it was time for Stephanie Foster to produce a baby.
But Stephanie Foster's elaborate fake pregnancy scam, including plans to steal a newborn to pass off as her own, didn't quite work out the way she imagined, the Indychannel.com reports.
Instead, Stephanie Foster is facing five felony charges, including an attempted murder charge, in the baby snatching scheme.
Police say Foster, a 34-year-old Indiana woman, allegedly stabbed a couple in an attempt to kidnap their month-old son.
An investigation revealed Foster miscarried 9 months earlier. It would have been Foster and her husband's first child together. Foster kept pretending she was pregnant because she didn't want to disappoint her husband.
Foster is accused of repeatedly stabbing the new mother, while the baby slept in another room.
Hearing the commotion the father was stabbed too before pinning Foster to the floor.
Foster faces the following charges:
- attempted murder,
- attempted armed robbery,
- two counts of aggravated battery; and
- attempted criminal confinement with a deadly weapon
In general, conviction for an attempted crime usually carries a sentence somewhat less than for the actual crime, although in some states the sentence is identical.
Typically, a person commits the crime of attempt when he or she demonstrates an intention to commit an underlying crime.
That is why one of the fundamental aims of law enforcement is to prevent crime. The justice system aims to strike a balance between preventing crime and protecting the rights of citizens who are guilty of nothing more than thinking about breaking the law.
Related Resources:
- Police: Woman Faked Pregnancy, Stabbed Couple For Baby (TheDenverChannel.com)
- What does it mean if I have been charged with an "attempt"? (FindLaw)
- To Catch a Predator: Recent Decision Clarifies Crime of Attempt (FindLaw)