19-year-old woman who pled guilty to illegally terminating pregnancy will go to jail Share Copy Link Copy

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BILL, THANKS. NOW TO TONIGHT’S OTHER BIG STORY. THIS 19 YEAR OLD WOMAN WILL SPEND 90 DAYS IN JAIL FOR SETTING THE REMAINS OF HER STILLBORN FETUS ON FIRE IN A FIELD. PROSECUTORS SAY CELESTE BURGESS WAS 17 WHEN SHE AND HER MOTHER TERMINATED HER PREGNANCY. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S JOEY SAFCHIK WAS IN COURT FOR HER SENTENCING. ROB JULIE CELESTE BURGESS’S MOTHER IS ALSO CHARGED AND IS SET TO BE SENTENCED LATER THIS YEAR. BOTH TOOK A PLEA DEAL. THE TEEN ASKED THE JUDGE TODAY FOR THE CHANCE TO TURN HER LIFE AROUND. CELESTE BURGESS LEAVES THE MADISON COUNTY COURTROOM IN HANDCUFFS, SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS PROBATION, INCLUDING 90 DAYS IN JAIL. I WANTED TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT THEN I DIDN’T KNOW IF WHAT I WAS DOING AT THE TIME WAS THE RIGHT THING. AT THE TIME, WHEN SHE WAS 17 YEARS OLD, PROSECUTORS ALLEGE SHE TERMINATED HER PREGNANCY AT AROUND 29 WEEKS BY TAKING PILLS AS INSTRUCTED BY HER MOTHER. THEY SAY SHE BURNED THE FETUS AND LEFT IT IN A FIELD OUTSIDE NORFOLK. I DO REGRET MY DECISIONS VERY MUCH. SHE WAS CHARGED AS AN ADULT AND IS NOW 19. SHE TOLD THE COURT SHE SUFFERS FROM MENTAL ILLNESS, INCLUDING BIPOLAR DEPRESSION AND DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER. I WOULD REALLY WANT A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY PROVE TO EVERYONE THAT I COULD BE A GOOD PERSON AGAIN. SHE PLEADED GUILTY IN MAY TO ONE COUNT OF REMOVING, CONCEALING OR ABANDONING A DEAD BODY. SHE FACED UP TO TWO YEARS BEHIND BARS. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY ALLEGES THE REMAINS WERE REMOVED. THAT WAS ILLUSTRATIVE OF AN ATTEMPT TO HIDE THE BOY. YOU KNOW, TO EVADE THE LAW. IN COURT DOCUMENTS, DETECTIVES QUOTE MESSAGES AS EVIDENCE OF THE PLAN TO END THE PREGNANCY. THE DEFENDANT TOLD THE JUDGE FORMAL BURIAL OR CREMATION DID NOT SEEM FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE. SHE HAD NO HISTORY, WAS YOUNG. SO THE JUDGE DID WHAT HE HAD TO DO. AND THE MOTHER ALSO PLEADED GUILTY TO REMOVING, CONCEALING OR ABANDONING A DEAD BODY, FALSE REPORTING AND PERFORMED OR ATTEMPTING AN ABORTION. AFTER 20 WEEKS, SHE’S SCHEDULED TO BE SENTENCED IN SEPTEMBER. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY SAYS IT’S THE FIRST TIME ANYONE HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY PERFORMING AN ABORTION AFTER 20 WEEKS SINCE THAT RES

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