'Womb Raider' Ashleigh Wade Found Guilty Of Slaughtering Her Pregnant Friend And Cutting Out Her Unborn Baby
The Bronx, NY, woman who was accused of murdering her pregnant friend to cut the unborn baby out from her womb was found guilty on Thursday after the jury deliberated for five hours.
Ashleigh Wade was convicted of second-degree murder and kidnapping Angelikque Sutton, 22, on Nov. 20, 2015, the same day Sutton was to get married, reported the New York Daily News.
In a troubling case of events, Wade claimed the baby was hers, bought baby items, and pretended to be pregnant before the deadly attack.
During the hearing on Thursday, Sutton’s mother, Deborah Sutton, and other relatives could be seen crying from their seats.
“Justice prevailed, the truth was revealed and my daughter was avenged,” Sutton said outside the courtroom.
One juror explained she had no trouble convicting the 24-year-old because she felt no sympathy for her.
“It's unfortunate because there are no winners here really," juror Maggie Santiago told New York Daily News. “The child has to live with this.”
“The case is going to stay with us for awhile,” she added. “You have a child that has to go through this every year on her birthday. It’s a horrible thing.”
After the verdict was announced, Wade’s lawyer, Amy Attias, immediately left the courtroom and told reporters, “She’s sobbing and she’s sorry.”
During the trial on Wednesday, Attias told the jury Wade should be convicted of manslaughter instead of murder because she was acting under extreme emotional disturbance.
Wade’s sentencing was set for Oct. 20. Wade faces 25 years to life in prison.