Christmas Horror: 7-Month-Old Fetus Found in Gift Box Under Christmas Tree in Texas

By: Edecio Martinez
Topics: Daily Blotter

(CBS)

SAN JUAN, Texas (CBS/AP) Police in south Texas found a horror under the Christmas tree of Ruby Lee Medina and Javier Gonzalez - the remains of an aborted 7-month-old fetus stuffed neatly inside a gift box.

Medina, 31, and Gonzalez, 37, of Mission, have been charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.

Police found the fetus inside the woman's trailer home Thursday after getting an anonymous tip, according to San Juan Police Chief Juan Gonzalez.

Autopsy results are pending, but Gonzalez said police believe the woman used pills to induce an abortion last Thursday, then called an ambulance after she began bleeding and told doctors she did not know where the fetus was.

The police chief said the couple tried to flush the fetus down the toilet, but failed to do so.

"Apparently they cleaned up the fetus and they placed it inside a gift box under the Christmas tree," the police chief said.

Bond for Medina and Gonzalez was set Monday at $20,000.

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by msay3 December 16, 2009 9:36 AM EST

Those two are as sick as they come!

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by JoeWoodard December 16, 2009 6:39 PM EST: Most people would agree that it's sick. Is it wrong? Is it "bad"?


by ffoulkes-2009 December 16, 2009 6:58 AM EST: Um...man...can't think of anything to say but..wow.; Reply to this comment


by jinks_smith December 16, 2009 4:05 AM EST: totaly inhuman! I wonder if the woman who did this could still catch a sleep. Im angry.. Grrrrrrr! so sad :(; Reply to this comment


by JoeWoodard December 16, 2009 1:46 AM EST: nomealaska,
It sounds like you're saying it's weird, and maybe gross, but not "wrong".
I'm curious...would it have been wrong if they had cut off the fetus's head, or just gross?
(btw, decapitation occurs regularly during common types of abortion procedures.)
Thanks for your thoughts.; Reply to this comment

by Brokennews December 15, 2009 7:19 PM EST

Fetuses are not people. They cannot live outside the body without the assistance of machines. These people are weird, but only about what they did with the aborted fetus.

by nomealaska December 15, 2009 2:15 PM EST

I often ask this question, but most people avoid answering it.

If a man attacks a pregnant wife or girlfriend with the intent of terminating the fetus and succeeds. Woman is OK, but the fetus is terminated. Should the man only be charged with simple assault on the woman? Or should there be additional charges for the termination of the fetus??

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by ffoulkes-2009 December 16, 2009 7:03 AM EST: There are laws on the books in several states to the effect that if you kill a 'fetus' that the woman intended to carry to term, you committed manslaughter.


by MPHgrad December 16, 2009 8:46 AM EST: by ffoulkes-2009 December 16, 2009 7:03 AM EST
There are laws on the books in several states to the effect that if you kill a 'fetus' that the woman intended to carry to term, you committed manslaughter.

Yes, but of course that relies upon a woman's "word". She may have intended not to, but changed her mind after the fact. In my state, it is dependent upon the gestation.

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by womanofinsight December 15, 2009 6:55 PM EST: So nomealaska, when you grew in your mother's womb...you weren't "ALIVE?"

Oh, I get it, we're to understand your life was different. So, if someone had set out to kill you while you still unborn, somehow that would have been a different story. Of course, it's the other preborn children who're worthless, nonhuman and have no value in your eyes, that is, unless you, like a Queen, grant it to them. My oh my, what's it like to be the judge of who's worthy to live? What an awesome and brilliant mind you must have to do this. Be careful about excluding other members of our human family because you may find yourself judged as harshly yourself. You know what they say, what goes around comes around. Compassion to these little ones could possibly end up benefiting you. Frankly, it's a more just and humane way to, well, live. Yes, I said "LIVE." That's a good thing. That's what you and I did as we grew in the womb (something that only living things can do, by the way) as we awaited our respective birthdates.; Reply to this comment


by skeezix06 December 15, 2009 5:37 PM EST: Putting it in a box under the christmas tree; that's creepy.

Thinking that pregnancy crisis centers will enable one to not be responsible for children who don't have enough to eat, parents who are drug addicted or alcoholic, a childhood of abuse... That's creepy too.; Reply to this comment


by rematenaj December 15, 2009 2:54 PM EST: nomealaska, a 7-month fetus could live. This is way beyond "weird"!; Reply to this comment


by staycalm December 15, 2009 2:18 PM EST: Did they think it was a joke? Has human life been reduced to this?; Reply to this comment


by nomealaska December 15, 2009 2:13 PM EST: While there is no problem with this woman inducing an abortion, but why didn't they dispose of it. Putting it under the tree like that is a little weird.; Reply to this comment