Opening statements in the trial against a Utah midwife accused of manslaughter in the 2012 death of a premature infant began earlier this week, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
Fifty-six-year-old Vickie Sorenson was charged with manslaughter and two counts of reckless endangerment after she reportedly attempted to deliver premature twins at a birthing center without the proper skills or equipment in 2012.
The first child Ms. Sorenson delivered died before the pregnant mother could be transported to a hospital.
Medical authorities told investigators the first baby died as a result of Sorensen's negligence and her attempt to deliver the twins was "out of the skill set of some OB/GYN physicians, let alone a lay midwife," according to a probable cause statement.
The prosecution also stated that when medical personnel arrived at the scene, Ms. Sorenson could not tell officials how premature the child was, the time of birth or the woman's medical history. She reportedly also failed to tell officials that the mother was still in labor with the second child.
Medical professionals reportedly brought the woman to CedarCity (Utah) Hospital where the second child was safely born, according to a an article in The Spectrum.
Lawyers on behalf of Ms. Sorenson claimed "all efforts were made" to get the woman to the hospital, but a snowstorm delayed the ambulance trip, resulting in the infant's death, according to the Salt Lake Tribune article.