New York Woman Charged with Self-Abortion

The New York City Police Department has charged a pregnant Manhattan woman with allegedly forcing herself to undergo a miscarriage.

Yaribely Almonte, 20, was charged with a rarely used law that deems it illegal for a woman to perform a self-abortion only two days after the lifeless fetus was found in wrapped in a plastic bag and stuffed in a bucket was discovered, according to the Wall Street Journal. The superintendent had found the trash bag, thinking it was garbage.

When I found the baby, I didn't know if it was real at first. It was so bad. After that happened, I just stayed in my apartment for a while because I didn't feel well, he said, according to the New York Times. He told reporters that Almonte had rented a room in his building, but had recently moved out.

The self-abortion charge is a misdemeanor. In New York, abortion after six months is illegal, unless it is done to save a woman's life. Almonte allegedly used an herbal tea to induce the miscarriage, according to the Associated Press. These types of teas are often available in Latin American countries.