By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-07 14:57:20 | Updated at 2026-08-07 15:42:18
1 hour ago
A North Carolina teenager allegedly tried to abort her unborn baby by taking abortion pills and leaving the newborn in a toilet in a botched attempt to end her pregnancy, prosecutors say.
Syeisha Johnson, 18, allegedly took a dose of mifespristone and misoprostol in late July to try abort her baby, despite already being in her third trimester.
According to her arrest warrant, Johnson ordered the abortion medication in Virginia, and prosecutors allege that she gave birth to the child in a toilet a few days after taking the pills on July 29.
Prosecutors said Johnson then left the child in the toilet for several minutes, per CBS17.
Johnson is facing charges of child abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, intent to kill and assault inflicting serious bodily injury on an unborn child.
She was arrested alongside the baby's father, Elijah Speight, 19, who is charged with only negligent child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury.
According to search warrants, Speight called 911 after discovering the child, and 'explained to officers on scene that he was the father of the child.'
He allegedly said Johnson knew she was heavily pregnant as a doctor told them both in June that she was 20 weeks pregnant at that point.
Authorities said first responders found the newborn baby still had a pulse when they arrived, and the child was given CPR and transported to Duke Medical Center for treatment.
Syeisha Johnson, 18, allegedly tried to abort her unborn baby by taking abortion pills and leaving the newborn in a toilet in a botched attempt to end her pregnancy, prosecutors say
Johnson was arrested alongside the baby's father, Elijah Speight, 19, who police say called 911 after the alleged botched abortion attempt
According to her arrest warrant, Johnson ordered abortion medication in Virginia in late July, before she gave birth to a baby in a toilet a few days after taking the pills on July 29
The baby survived the alleged botched abortion attempt. Further updates on the infant's condition have not been shared and it is unclear who is caring for the child.
At the young couple's first court appearance on Wednesday, Johnson's attorney, public defender Barbara Lagemann, argued that she did not commit a crime under North Carolina law. Johnson has not yet pleaded.
Langemann argued that North Carolina statute 23.7 protects pregnant women from being prosecuted if they’re charged with assaulting their own unborn child, reports say.
She told the court: 'Statute does require that the alleged ‘victim’ be living at the time of the assault... In order to be living, one must be born.'
Durham County District Attorney Satana Deberry also told WRAL that she felt conflicted over prosecuting the teenagers.
'I’ve been on the record, over and over again, saying that I believe a woman has the right to choose and has the right to make decisions about her own body,' Deberry said.
'And we will review the evidence in this case in that light.'
Johnson is facing charges of child abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, intent to kill and assault inflicting serious bodily injury on an unborn child. Her attorney said she denies the charges and argued she did not commit a crime under North Carolina law
Deberry added that the light $1000 bonds placed on the teens was an indication that her office does not consider them to be a danger to the public.
'These two young people are not a danger to our community,' she said.
'They are very young and… it’s important that they be with their families and be able to defend themselves appropriately.
'My goal always is to get to the truth and to justice and once we review the evidence, we’ll know where we’re going to go from here.'
