Last July, a woman was arrested for second-degree murder after shooting a mother of three in an Uber. She has now filed an unusual emergency petition to be released from jail because her unborn child hasn’t committed a crime.
Natalia Harrell, 24, was out with a group of friends on July 23, 2022, in downtown Miami. According to an arrest warrant, Harrell and six others got into an Uber around 2:15 am after the bar they had been drinking at closed for the night.
Harrell began arguing with 28-year-old Gladys Yvette Borcela, and the altercation quickly became physical. Harrell began shouting, “You don’t want this. You don’t want me to go in my purse.”
Surveillance footage from inside the Uber showed Borcela reaching for Harrell, who quickly reached into her purse, pulled out a gun, and shot Borcela once in the stomach.
After the shot was fired, the Uber driver quickly pulled over, and everyone, besides Borcela, exited the car. The victim was then taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Video: Woman shoots another dead inside an Uber, 7/23/22. Jailed accused shooter is now 8-mo pregnant. Attorney representing unborn child says baby’s rights are being violated, wants child (mother) released. Petition filed Friday. Video stops before shot fired. @wsvn #Exclusive pic.twitter.com/72u9xkRklg
— Jessica Holly (@JhollyW) February 19, 2023
Since her arrest, Harrell has been held without bail.
In an odd turn of events, Harrell filed a petition last week on behalf of her unborn child claiming that she has received inadequate prenatal care while awaiting her trial.
Attorneys for Harrell’s baby claim that Harrell was not brought to a scheduled prenatal medical appointment. The lawyers are also alleging that Harrell hasn’t been seen by an OB-GYN since October 2022.
The petition states, “There has been a lack of reasonable and necessary prenatal care for the unborn child by respondents.”
The petition also notes that since the unborn baby has not been charged with a crime, their due process rights are being violated since, under the Florida Constitution, they are a person.
Miami-Dade Corrections officials released a statement in response to these accusations, saying, “Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation partners with Jackson Health System to provide healthcare to the inmates in our custody, and we are committed to ensuring all inmates receive professional, timely medical care and all appropriate treatment. We are conducting a full review of the health services offered and received to ensure that all pre-natal care being provided in our custody is appropriate.”