Baby M: Difference between revisions

On March 27, 1986, Whitehead gave birth to a daughter. She managed, initially, to get a birth certificate naming the infant Sara Elizabeth Whitehead.<ref>photo, first page of plates following p92 of Whitehead‘s book,1st ed HC St Martin’s Press 1st ed, 1st printing released Mar. 14, 1989.</ref> Three days after the birth, the infant was handed to the Sterns, who named her Melissa Elizabeth Stern. The very next day, Whitehead went back to the Sterns and demanded that the baby be given back to her. She told them that she could not live without her baby, that she must have her, even if only for one week, that thereafter she would surrender her child. The Sterns, concerned that Mrs. Whitehead might indeed commit suicide, not wanting under any circumstances to risk that, and in any event believing that Mrs. Whitehead would keep her word, turned the child over to her.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Matter of Baby M, 109 N.J. 396 {{!}} Casetext Search + Citator|url=https://casetext.com/case/matter-of-baby-m-2|access-date=2022-01-25|website=casetext.com}}</ref>

 

 

Whilst on the run, Whitehead made contact with the Sterns via telephone. William Stern, on the advice of counsel, recorded these conversations. Tapes were later introduced as evidence during court proceedings. In one 45-minute long conversation, Mrs Whitehead threatens to kill Baby M multiple times: “I gave her life. I can take her life away,” and “Forget it, Bill. I’ll tell you right now, I’d rather see me and her dead before you get her.”<ref>{{Cite web|last=UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL|last2=|last3=|first3=|last4=|last5=|last6=|last7=|last8=|first8=|last9=|date=1987-02-04|title=Death Threat by Baby M's Mother Taped : Raised Idea of Killing Herself, Child in Phone Call to Father|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-02-04-mn-573-story.html|access-date=2022-01-25|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref>