Deadline Today for Police Chief's Recommendations in Miscarriage Case

Today, February 20, 2007 is the deadline for Kansas City Police Chief James Corwin's deadline to take action in the case of two officers who had ignored a pregnant woman's pleas for medical attention. The deadline was issued by the city's police board during a departmental investigation of the incident in February 2006.

The officers had stopped Sofia Salva, 32, for a fake temporary car tag last year. The police videotape shows Sofia Salva, asking for medical help from the officers. The officers ignored her plea for help and took her to jail after finding out that she had outstanding warrants. The next morning Salva, had a miscarriage.

The outstanding warrants that the officers arrested her for were those of endangering children, trespassing, driving while suspended and other traffic violations. The endangering children allegation came from a 2002 incident in which Sofia Salva, was accused of leaving her three children home alone while she went to the store.

The videotape was released earlier this month and was shown on local and national television and also on news Web sites. During the video of the police stop, Sofia Salva tells the police that she is three months pregnant, bleeding and needing to go to the hospital.

Sofia Salva, did say that jailers allowed her medical attention the morning after she had been stopped. At three months pregnant she claims to have delivered a premature baby boy who died a minute after birth.

Feb 1, 2007 the two officers Melody Spencer and Kevin Schnell were suspended with pay as the investigation continued into their actions. According to the police spokesman Capt. Rich Lockhart, the suspension of the officers is indefinite.

Sofia Salva has brought a lawsuit against both officers and the department for wrongful death and personal injuries. The lawsuit was filed in Jackson County Circuit Court, seeking actual damages exceeding $25,000 and punitive damages to punish and deter such conduct in the future.