Ft. Hood Death Toll Is 14: Slain Soldier Was Mother -to-Be

This local NBC TV news story tonight in Chicago noted that Private Francheska Velez, a local 21-year-old who had just finished a tour in Iraq and had returned to Fort Hood, Texas, and was one of 13 soldiers shot and killed last Thursday--was three months pregnant. That would mean 14 people were killed, though the story did not say that, and I've heard no one else say it. But it's true.

Comments

[Jordan]

Have you seen how the stories have referred to the child? There seems to be some leeway in AP style in referring to the unborn, e.g. "fetus," "child," "baby." See this GetReligion post, for instance.

No doubt "person" isn't in the AP stylebook, however.

[Magister Christianus]

I sincerely hope that this child is reckoned among the total number murdered when Mr. Hasan goes to trial. It will be interesting to see whether this is so.

[Jordan]

A bit more here at WorldMagBlog, including the possibility of prosecution under the Unborn Victims of Violence Act.