Woman charged with manslaughter after she is shot in the stomach while pregnant

An Alabama woman has been charged with manslaughter in the death of her unborn baby, who was killed when the woman was shot in the stomach while pregnant. However, the person who shot her has had all charges dismissed.

Marshae Jones of Birmingham was five months pregnant when she got into an altercation at a Dollar General store with a second woman, Ebony Jemison, in December 2018, according to AL.com. First responders rushed Jones to UAB Hospital, but she lost the baby.

Jemison was initially charged with manslaughter, but the charges were dropped after a grand jury failed to indict her. Instead, Jones was charged with manslaughter, even though she didn’t fire the gun that killed her own unborn child.

Authorities had concluded that the pregnant mom was responsible for the baby’s death because she “initiated and continued the fight,” which was allegedly linked to the baby’s father. They reasoned that Jemison was acting in self-defense when she shot Jones, according to Pleasant Grove Police Lt. Danny Reid.

“The investigation showed that the only true victim in this was the unborn baby,” Reid said. ““[The baby] had no choice in being brought unnecessarily into a fight where she was relying on her mother for protection."

Jones was taken into custody Wednesday and will be transferred to Jefferson County Jail, where she’ll be held on $50,000 bond.

The indictment has caused an uproar on Twitter, where many consider it an assault on women’s rights and are drawing parallels to recent legislation outlawing abortion in several states.

A handful of vocal celebrities are leading the charge, with actress Patricia Arquette calling the situation “unjust” and Alyssa Milano asking “Is this real life?!”

A few other stars known for speaking their minds on women’s issues — Sarah Silverman and Busy Phillips — were left “speechless” by the news.

Ilyse Hogue, a leading abortion rights activist and president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, tweeted, “This what 2019 looks like for a pregnant woman of color without means in a red state.”

Feminist author Evette Dionne tweeted that Jones “could’ve died,” but authorities who are “drunk with power” put the blame on the expecting mom instead.

But it wasn’t just women who weighed in. Matt Ortego, a digital professional who was once served on the Democratic National Committee, remarked, “Literally blame the victim.” And former NFL player Wade Davis II wrote, “The most disrespected person in America, is the Black Woman.”

On May 15, Alabama’s governor signed a bill that would severely limit women’s rights to legal abortion.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

• Adam Scott gives Mitch McConnell permission to use his image on Twitter only during his 'stunning & humiliating defeat'

• Man facing backlash for repeatedly calling police on black women at pool blames his autism: 'I don't see race'

• Slovakia's first female president shuts down journalist's question about her outfit

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.