Email Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Tell Him What Happened to Brittany Watts Must Never Happen Again

In case you missed it, in the latest chilling example of the MAGA war on women, a grand jury in Ohio recently considered whether to indict Brittany Watts, a woman who miscarried a nonviable fetus at home, with abuse of a corpse (you can read more from The New York Times here). On Thursday, January 11th, a grand jury decided not to indict -- but what happened to Brittany should never have happened in the first place.

We urgently need Governor Mike DeWine to speak out about Brittany's case and make clear that Ohio law does not and should not ever support criminalizing someone for experiencing a pregnancy loss. What happened to Brittany sends a chilling message to women about seeking medical help in times of need, potentially putting their health and lives at risk. And we must ensure it never happens again.

Below is a draft email to Governor DeWine. You can edit it or add to it before sending, below.

Dear Governor DeWine,

Cases like Brittany Watts' show us that, depending on your identity, the state treats some losses as tragedies and some losses as crimes. Brittany should have been able to focus on taking care of herself after her pregnancy loss, instead, she was arrested and charged. While I'm relieved that the grand jury dismissed the case against her, she never should have been charged in the first place. I'm counting on you to speak out publicly about Brittany's case and make clear that Ohio law does not support, and should never support, criminalizing someone for experiencing pregnancy loss.

Brittany's prosecution sets a perilous precedent, suggesting that women could be criminalized for natural and uncontrollable medical occurrences. Such a stance is in direct conflict with Ohio's legal principles and endangers the health of women by potentially deterring them from seeking necessary medical care after a miscarriage. The case against Brittany Watts was not only baseless, but also a public health concern. Criminalization does nothing to ensure public health and safety, and the harm reverberates into every aspect of people's lives.

I urge you to speak out publicly and for your office to take immediate action to ensure that this never happens to someone else. The well-being of women in Ohio and the integrity of our legal system are at stake.

Thank you for your consideration of this critical issue.

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