Losing a loved one is a deeply traumatic ordeal that people often choose to grapple with in private, and so our hearts and deep admiration go out to Australian mum Sarah Milosevic after hearing about her high-profile campaign.
Sarah, whose unborn child died in a tragic car accident, has launched a petition to give all foetuses past 30 weeks’ gestation full rights as a human being in Australia.
Milosevic was 39 weeks pregnant when the vehicle she and her husband were travelling in was struck by speeding drunk-driver Rodney Leigh Shaw. The couple’s daughter, Sophie Ella, was stillborn after the accident.
Leigh Shaw went on to appear in court, where he was convicted of driving offences and fined $950. He also had his licence suspended for five months.
Deeply unsatisfied with the sentence handed down, Ms Milosevic launched a petition to bring ‘Sophie’s law’ into effect, to give recognition to her baby girl and so many others.
Describing the past 18 months since the accident as ‘hell’, Ms Milosevic said in a statement: “Instead of bringing my baby girl home I had to plan her funeral – I was that close to the end of my pregnancy. And now the man responsible gets away with it because she was stillborn and has no rights in a court of law. I want that law changed.”
“I want all babies past 30 weeks of gestation to have the right to be classed as a human being. I want pregnant women to be protected against acts of violence and against their babies dying because of an avoidable cause,” she added.
Similar legislation, proposed to recognise the rights of foetuses past 20 weeks’ gestation, was defeated in the Australian courts back in 2014.
According to reports, Ms Milosevic is due to meet with the country’s attorney general this week. We will keep you updated on the progress of ‘Sophie’s law’.
