Baby delivered from brain-dead woman on life support in Georgia
[June 18, 2025]
ATLANTA (AP) — The baby of a woman in Georgia who was declared
brain dead and has been on life support since February was delivered
early Friday morning, her mother said.
April Newkirk told WXIA-TV that 31-year-old Adriana Smith's baby was
born prematurely by an emergency cesarean section early Friday, the
Atlanta station reported Monday night. She was about six months into her
pregnancy. The baby, named Chance, weighs about 1 pound and 13 ounces
and is in the neonatal intensive care unit.
“He’s expected to be okay,” Newkirk told the TV station. “He’s just
fighting. We just want prayers for him."
Newkirk said her daughter had intense headaches more than four months
ago and went to Atlanta’s Northside Hospital, where she received
medication and was released. The next morning, her boyfriend woke to her
gasping for air and called 911. Emory University Hospital determined she
had blood clots in her brain and she was declared brain-dead. She was
eight weeks pregnant, according to WXIA.
Newkirk said Smith would be taken off of life support Tuesday.
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 The Associated Press called and
emailed Emory Tuesday for comment. It is unclear why Emory decided
to deliver the baby. The Associated Press has also tried to contact
Newkirk.
Smith's family said Emory doctors told them they were not allowed to
remove the devices keeping her breathing because state law bans
abortion after cardiac activity can be detected — generally around
six weeks into pregnancy.
Georgia Republican Attorney General Chris Carr
later issued a statement saying the law did not require medical
professionals to keep a woman declared brain dead on life support.
“Removing life support is not an action ‘with the purpose to
terminate a pregnancy,’” Carr said.
Newkirk said Smith loved being a nurse at Emory. She also has a
7-year-old son. Her family celebrated her 31st birthday Sunday with
several advocacy groups. Newkirk did not speak at the event.
“I’m her mother,” Newkirk told WXIA. “I shouldn’t be burying my
daughter. My daughter should be burying me.”
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