A New Hampshire man faces historic charges for fetus murder under a 2018 law, following a pregnant woman’s violent death.
Authorities charged 28-year-old William Kelly for the December blunt force killing of 33-year-old Christine Falzone and her unborn child, shedding light on fetal homicide laws.
Mitchell Weinberg confirmed Falzone was 35-37 weeks pregnant at death. New Hampshire’s 2017 law, signed by Governor Sununu, recognizes a fetus over 20 weeks as a person for murder charges.
Attorney general’s spokesperson Michael Garrity notes Kelly’s indictment for second-degree murder, a New Hampshire first for a fetus’s death.
The case ignites debate over unborn rights and fetal homicide laws, balancing fetal protection with concerns for women’s reproductive rights.
Authorities are holding Kelly without bail, and he has a history of criminal convictions, including a 2019 assault. The details of his relationship to Falzone and whether he is the father of the unborn child remain undisclosed.
The case, with a June hearing and a 2025 trial, draws national attention, questioning criminal law, reproductive rights, and personhood, and may set precedents for future fetal death cases.