"Newborn" LaMONICA - 7 Days/ Accused: Mother-Tina LaMonica - Rockford IL

The Winnebago County Sheriff's Department arrests a woman they say murdered her newborn baby.

After running from police for than a month, 37 year old
Tina LaMonica was taken into custody in the 600-block of Poppy Court in
Machesney Park. LaMonica is charged with first degree murder after
police say maternal cocaine killed her 7-day old child. The baby died at
Rockford Memorial Hospital back in January.
http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/Murder_Suspect_Now_in_Custody_160188225.html

Prosecutors: Rockford woman's drug use tied to infant death

A warrant charges Tina M. LaMonica, who is at large, with murder.

ROCKFORD — Prosecutors say a 37-year-old Rockford woman’s illicit drug use caused her daughter Gia’s premature birth and ultimately her death seven days later on Jan. 18, 2011.

A warrant was issued late last week for the arrest of Tina M. LaMonica on charges of first-degree murder more than a year after police were called to Rockford Memorial Hospital for an investigation into Gia’s death.

Winnebago County Coroner Sue Fiduccia said the results of an autopsy and forensic testing showed that the causes of death were the result of complications from cocaine use.

“If she would not have had cocaine, she would probably not have given birth prematurely,” Fiduccia said.

Police have been unable to locate LaMonica and she remains at large, Lt. Marc Welsh said Wednesday.

Criminal complaints filed Friday at the Winnebago County Courthouse say that while pregnant with Gia, LaMonica “knowingly ingested cocaine” causing premature birth and an intestinal disease called “necrotizing enterocolitis.”

The charges further say Gia’s death resulted from “exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior.”

Welsh said it may seem as if charges are coming long after the infant’s death, but that in such cases it’s not unusual. Infant death investigations can be labor intensive and require extensive medical testing.

“They are hard cases to put together; there is extensive background work to do and the medical reports have to be submitted, and once you get all the information and documentation, the state’s attorney needs to review it to determine if there is a case,” Welsh said. “Behind the scenes, there is an awful lot of work that goes into it.”

Prosecutors said it is rare to charge a woman with murder for illicit drug use while pregnant leading to the death of a newborn. But Winnebago County State’s Attorney Joe Bruscato said in an email to the Rockford Register Star that it will be charged when the facts support the charges.

When asked how often the charges have been brought, Bruscato said, “Fortunately not very often. However, the state’s attorney’s office charges based on the facts, not on how many times we have pursued such charges in the past.”

Winnebago County was the flashpoint of a national debate in 1989 when then-State’s Attorney Paul Logli charged a 24-year-old woman with manslaughter and delivery of a controlled substance when her crack cocaine use may have led to the death of her newborn.

It was one of the first such attempted prosecutions in the nation, and Logli was forced to drop the charges when a grand jury declined to indict the mother.

In a politically charged firestorm that followed, Logli was invited to appear on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” was included in an article in Time magazine and, according to newspaper archives, held his ground during a “nationally televised grilling by Diane Sawyer.”

“There are certain egregious cases that are worthy of prosecution,” Logli was quoted as telling Sawyer in September 1989.

Reach staff writer Jeff Kolkey at jkolkey@rrstar.com or 815-987-1374.
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x639953707/Prosecutors-Rockford-womans-drug-use-tied-to-infant-death

Rockford woman arrested in 2011 death of newborn
Posted Jun 24, 2012 @ 06:58 PM

ROCKFORD — A 37-year-old Rockford woman was arrested Saturday in connection with the 2011 death of her newborn.

Police have been searching for Tina M. LaMonica since issuing an arrest warrant for her last month. She was taken into custody shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday; Winnebago County sheriff’s deputies found her in the 600 block of Poppy Court in Machesney Park.

LaMonica was charged with first-degree murder, linking her to an investigation that started Jan. 18, 2011, at Rockford Memorial Hospital. Rockford police detectives arrived there after being advised that a 7-day-old child had died.

An autopsy showed the cause of death as premature birth and maternal cocaine use. Detectives conducted a lengthy investigation, and charges were authorized May 17 against LaMonica.
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x1081600708/Rockford-woman-arrested-in-2011-death-of-newborn

Tina Marie LaMonica, also known as Tina Deitering, 37, is wanted on four counts of first-degree murder in the January 2011 death of her week-old daughter, Gia.

Count 1: LaMonica knowingly and “with the intent to kill” took cocaine while pregnant with Gia, causing her death from “exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior.” Punishable by 20 to 100 years in prison.
Count 2: LaMonica “intentionally or knowingly” killed Gia, knowing her cocaine use created “a strong probability of death or great bodily harm” and that the death resulted from “exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior.” Punishable by 20 to 60 years in prison.
Count 3: LaMonica knowingly and “with the intent to kill” Gia ingested cocaine while pregnant, causing her death. Punishable by 20 to 60 years in prison.
Count 4: LaMonica “intentionally or knowingly” killed Gia, because she knew that her cocaine use created “a strong probability of death or great bodily harm.” Punishable by 20 to 60 years in prison.
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x639953707/Prosecutors-Rockford-womans-drug-use-tied-to-infant-death

MasonMomma wrote:Tina Marie LaMonica, also known as Tina Deitering,
37, is wanted on four counts of first-degree murder in the January 2011
death of her week-old daughter, Gia.

Count 1:
LaMonica knowingly and “with the intent to kill” took cocaine while
pregnant with Gia, causing her death from “exceptionally brutal or
heinous behavior.” Punishable by 20 to 100 years in prison.
Count 2:
LaMonica “intentionally or knowingly” killed Gia, knowing her cocaine
use created “a strong probability of death or great bodily harm” and
that the death resulted from “exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior.”
Punishable by 20 to 60 years in prison.
Count 3:
LaMonica knowingly and “with the intent to kill” Gia ingested cocaine
while pregnant, causing her death. Punishable by 20 to 60 years in
prison.
Count 4: LaMonica “intentionally or
knowingly” killed Gia, because she knew that her cocaine use created “a
strong probability of death or great bodily harm.” Punishable by 20 to
60 years in prison.
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x639953707/Prosecutors-Rockford-womans-drug-use-tied-to-infant-death

Hi MasonMomma. What is the date of this? Curious because above post indicates she was arrested in June. This article says she is still wanted.

According to the link it was written:

Posted May 23, 2012 @ 09:59 PM
Last update May 24, 2012 @ 06:21 AM

http://www.rrstar.com/news/x639953707/Prosecutors-Rockford-womans-drug-use-tied-to-infant-death

I always like to see the date of an article too however was told not to put "date, etc." in my posts (I do anyway because I like to see it in other's posts ). This was interesting information though on the charges being filed against this woman.

ladibug wrote:According to the link it was written:

Posted May 23, 2012 @ 09:59 PM
Last update May 24, 2012 @ 06:21 AM

http://www.rrstar.com/news/x639953707/Prosecutors-Rockford-womans-drug-use-tied-to-infant-death

I always like to see the date of an article too however was told not to put "date, etc." in my posts (I do anyway because I like to see it in other's posts ). This was interesting information though on the charges being filed against this woman.

Thanks Ladibug. I checked the link but only saw the article, not the column on the right.

Anytime an article is not current the date should be shown. Only when it is fresh news should the date be omitted.

I always show the date for clarification.

This is a good example, The article was a month before the first article, makes it a bit confusing.

twinkletoes wrote:

ladibug wrote:According to the link it was written:

Posted May 23, 2012 @ 09:59 PM
Last update May 24, 2012 @ 06:21 AM

http://www.rrstar.com/news/x639953707/Prosecutors-Rockford-womans-drug-use-tied-to-infant-death

I always like to see the date of an article too however was told not to put "date, etc." in my posts (I do anyway because I like to see it in other's posts ). This was interesting information though on the charges being filed against this woman.

Thanks Ladibug. I checked the link but only saw the article, not the column on the right.

Anytime an article is not current the date should be shown. Only when it is fresh news should the date be omitted.

I always show the date for clarification.

This is a good example, The article was a month before the first article, makes it a bit confusing.

Just to clarify. You can always show the date. I ALWAYS show the date because it eliminates problems and questions. But it is not mandatory if it is posted on the day of the article. All posts that are not current should always carry a date.