S.C. woman charged in child’s death

A South Carolina woman has been charged with homicide in the death of her four-day-old baby. Authorities say preliminary tests showed the baby had cocaine in her system.

Lorraine Patrick is accused of using cocaine while she was pregnant. The baby was born prematurely and died four days later. Patrick becomes one of more than 70 women since 1989 prosecuted statewide on charges of using drugs while pregnant.

The state Supreme Court has ruled a fetus able to survive outside the womb is a person under state child abuse and neglect laws.