Newborn Dies After Mom Eats Rat Poison

**Dakota Valkyrie** · January 3rd, 2011, 05:27 PM

The death of a three-day-old girl has been ruled a homicide. Indianapolis Metro Police say the newborn's mother ingested rat poison a week before she gave birth. While the mother sought treatment after taking the poison, it was too late for the baby.

Police say 34-year-old Bei Bei Shuai intentionally ingested rat poison on December 23rd.
[...]

When Shuai told friends in Anderson what she had done, they told her to go to St. Johns Hospital. She was then transferred to Methodist Hospital where she gave birth to a baby girl on New Year's Eve.

The baby girl, named Angel, lived just three days before passing away. After an autopsy on Monday, the coroner ruled the death a homicide, and the cause as consumption of rat poison.

At this point, police don't know if Shuai was trying to terminate the pregnancy or kill herself.

"We don't have any information to release about what a potential motive may have been," said Adams.

Experts say the antidote to rat poison, commonly vitamin K, could have saved the mother, but since the vitamin can't pass through the placenta, the fetus would have started to bleed. Eventually the baby bled to death.

"The two charges, if any that she may face, would one be murder and two attempted feticide," said Adams.

The baby's mother is currently on suicide watch in the mental health ward at Methodist Hospital. She has not been arrested but police say that could change after detectives get the chance to interview her.

Shuai moved to the United States from China ten years ago. She is a US citizen.

http://www.wthr.com/story/13773507/n...ing-rat-poison

**Nell** · January 3rd, 2011, 06:17 PM

If the friends took her to the hospital immediately why didn't they take the baby by C section that day? She may have lived.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · January 3rd, 2011, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Nell

If the friends took her to the hospital immediately why didn't they take the baby by C section that day? She may have lived.

Good point. Although they may have not been able to operate on the mom or induce labor until her rat poison complications were over with.

**Silvahalo** · January 3rd, 2011, 06:36 PM

Nell, I was wondering about that too....emergency c-section.

She knowingly took the rat poison and even IF it was a suicide attempt, still, surely she knew she was putting her baby in grave danger. Suicide means you die with baby in tow.

It's so disgusting. She couldn't wait to give birth, give baby up then off herself if necessary, better yet seek help. No, she had to take it then. She meant to kill baby girl, I can hardly see it differently....bleed to death ffs, sick.

Rest in peace baby Angel Shuai you deserved far, far better for a mother.

**Tundratot** · January 4th, 2011, 04:22 AM

The baby died three days after her birth. Couldn't they have given her vitamin K immediately after her birth? Infused her? WTF!!!

**totallytoddler** · January 4th, 2011, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by Tundratot

The baby died three days after her birth. Couldn't they have given her vitamin K immediately after her birth? Infused her? WTF!!!

I thought they gave the vitamin k right after birth anyway...just is general??? They gave it to my kids. What a shame...could have just given baby up for adoption. :(

**Dakota Valkyrie** · January 4th, 2011, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Tundratot

The baby died three days after her birth. Couldn't they have given her vitamin K immediately after her birth? Infused her? WTF!!!

By the time she was born, she had been "exposed" to the poison for a week. Probably too much for her wee system. :(

**Nell** · January 4th, 2011, 04:49 PM

I looked it up. They wouldn't give her a C Section because she may have bled out. I say they should have chanced it.

**Athena** · January 4th, 2011, 05:39 PM

I don't think a mother should be charged with murder for something she did while the fetus was in utero that ended up killing the child days after birth. It just doesn't jive with the spirit of "murder".

**Tundratot** · January 6th, 2011, 03:56 AM

Originally Posted by Athena

I don't think a mother should be charged with murder for something she did while the fetus was in utero that ended up killing the child days after birth. It just doesn't jive with the spirit of "murder".

In this case, I disagree. This isn't the same as going biking and falling off, or even drinking too heavily. The proximate time frame is very relevant, I think.

**Pete Bondurant** · January 4th, 2011, 06:25 PM

Police say 34-year-old Bei Bei Shuai intentionally ingested rat poison on December 23rd.

This child, so-called....was not of European origin, therefore...this woman did not commit a crime.

**HijabiGirl** · January 5th, 2011, 06:04 PM

Most rat poison is Coumadin, a blood thinner prescribed for people prone to clots, atrial fib, or stroke. Therefore a c-section would be contraindicated in this case until they could reverse the drug. Coumadin can cross the placental barrier so it is not prescribed to pregnant women, heparin is prescribed instead. By the time the baby was delivered the damage was done and no amount of vit K could reverse it. I am willing to bet the baby had a brain bleed or maybe placental issues.

**Tundratot** · January 6th, 2011, 03:52 AM

So, what you are saying is that the hospital staff had to watch helplessly as this little baby died over a three day period? Nothing they could do. That must have been the basis for some real emotional trauma in the NICU.

**Shadow** · January 6th, 2011, 04:05 AM

Originally Posted by Tundratot

So, what you are saying is that the hospital staff had to watch helplessly as this little baby died over a three day period? Nothing they could do. That must have been the basis for some real emotional trauma in the NICU.

yeah, i can only imagine the anguish the NICU staff must've been feeling, :(

~shadow

**sheevaa** · January 6th, 2011, 04:35 AM

I'm going to have to side with Athena on this one. Kid wasn't born yet, doesn't really equate to murder in my eyes, either. Would more fall into very late stage abortion, perhaps.

**HijabiGirl** · January 7th, 2011, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Tundratot

So, what you are saying is that the hospital staff had to watch helplessly as this little baby died over a three day period? Nothing they could do. That must have been the basis for some real emotional trauma in the NICU.

Well that's usually the case in shaken babies and other abuse cases. They get kids with herniated brains, vegetative states, and sometimes extreme prematurity (thus not compatible with life) issues due to the mother abusing drugs/alcohol.

My guess is this kid was born but not really "alive" per se. I am thinking they tried extreme measures and life support but for all intents and purposes, this little one was gone. This is all conjecture on my end but going down the list of what could have gone wrong I am thinking this is the most likely situation.

**Hellsbells** · April 14th, 2011, 09:06 AM

Hearing continues for mother charged in baby death

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Lawyers for a woman charged with murder in the death of her premature baby are seeking her release on bond

Bei Bei Shuai's (bay bay shway) hearing continues Wednesday in Marion Superior Court.

Prosecutors also charged with Shuai with attempted feticide, saying she intended to kill the fetus as well as herself.

Lawyers are seeking to have the charges dropped, arguing that attempted suicide isn't a crime in Indiana and courts have held pregnant women shouldn't be prosecuted for harming themselves. Groups such as the American Medical Association argue that fear of prosecution might prevent pregnant women from seeking prenatal care.

http://www.fox19.com/Global/story.asp?S=14435248