Pregnant Amish woman, fetus killed by lightning

CBS/AP

(CBS/AP) GARRETT, Pa. - A pregnant Amish woman picking berries in the woods near her Pennsylvania home was killed by lightning on her due date. The fetus also died.

State police say 36-year-old Mary H. Yoder was with her husband and two children late Tuesday morning when a storm moved in. Yoder took shelter under a pine tree while her husband and the children ducked under a different tree.

Police say lightning struck a few minutes later, killing Yoder and her fetus. Trooper Steven Limani tells the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that Tuesday was the due date.

The incident occurred at about 11 a.m. local time as severe thunderstorms passed through the area, reports the Cumberland Times-News. Police are investigating.

Garrett is about 75 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

[Howackerman]

jschm2681 - So what kind of a plan does God have if it involves killing unborn children?

[EmpireGeorge______--]

why don't you ask her.

[jschm2681]

I have no idea- according to my Catholic education that;s why it is called a mystery and I don't choose to get a headache over it.

[EmpireGeorge______--]

Very interesting how CBS, last evening had the article headline:
Pregnant Pa. woman, baby killed by lightning

Today, the article was re-written, with a new more P.C. headline:
Pregnant Amish woman, fetus killed by lightning

The liberal editor had a quiet word with last night's reporter.

[jschm2681]

I see CBS took the PC route in calling the unborn child a 'fetus'. I;m sure given the mother was Amish, she didn't consider the child a 'fetus'. Too bad people just can face the fact that the unborn is just as feeling and alive as a new born. Too bad CBS is not sensitive to the family.

[EmpireGeorge______--]

by legalbutnotjust July 25, 2012 1:52 AM EDT

Birth had yet to happen? How do you figure two persons were killed.
______________

Seriously, do you really think the baby is significantly different the day before birth, compared with the day after birth ??? in reality, the human baby is already 9 months old, at the time of birth....how you could even think that it's "not a baby" because it is not yet born is very bizarre, and actually frightening that I share my country with people that don't know that a baby is the same before birth as after, with the only change being, the intake of air.

[Martha12345]

How sad. I'm confident her community has gathered around her family providing them some relief and comfort. Their faith will help carry them through these very difficult times.

[Aine57]

If lightning struck an abortion clinic, some folks would claim that "God is speaking." Why not here?

Why? Because it's an idiotic argument to blame tragic natural events on divine intervention.

[realtimecoffee]

Or maybe we just don't have a clue what god's up to.

[edecker1969]

Fetus? It was a baby. There were two people that were killed.

[realtimecoffee]

A fetus is a human body before it is born, a corpse is a human body being after it dies. Sometimes they shorten the process.

[matt6052]

Scott Petersen in California is serving additional time for killing the fetus/ human inside his wife who was six months' pregnant. When the father kills a fetus before it becomes a human, it is a capital offense, but when a mother kills a fetus before it becomes a human, it is a woman's right... and there are as many definitions of when life begins as there are styles of car tags.

[maiingan]

It's a terrible tragedy for this family and their community, but unfortunately also shows that everyone needs education about lightning safety, regardless of religious persuasion; and we all need to be able to do our own "unplugged" weather observation and forecasting in case we need to get away from dangerous weather soon enough.

[truthvtold]

So, if it had been a day later, it would have been a baby????

[tomanyt]

@truthvtold...Yes.

[byrdh5n1]

Double-down: YES

[Ulgnud]

I feel for the loss of this loving woman and her unborn child. I am sorry her remaining family will have to live without her. May they rest in peace.

[artgirl33]

I agree. May they rest in peace. Thank God, finally an appropriate post.

[jschm2681]

newster- don't try to understand God;s plan, no one is smart enough and you'll just get a headache.