Helen RoekansasSome time prior to 1951, Annas Witlow Brown was convicted of manslaughter in the abortion death of a woman whose name I’ve been unable to determine. I’ll refer to her as “Helen” Roe.

Helen was found dead on a bed in the basement of Brown’s home. There was evidence that she’d made an appointment with Brown prior to her death.

The autopsy on Helen found that she was 4 to 5 months pregnant at the time of her death, and that her fetus was normal. The placenta, however, showed signs of instrumentation, with raggedness and tearing. A doctor testified that the placenta had been detached enough from the wall of the uterus to cause massive hemorrhage, which would have quickly led to shock and death.

Brown was evidently in her home when Helen died. She called an ambulance for her and gave conflicting stories about what had led to Helen’s death.

A witness testified that Brown was known for performing abortions, and that Helen was planning to stay at the witness’s home. The witness said that Brown called her at her home to tell her that Helen was sick and to ask her to come to the house.

UPDATE: A Google search contains a link to a paid site that indicates that Brown was arrested concerning the death of a woman whose first or surname was Joy, and who was 25 years of age. Another snippet reads “Joy, an employe of the Pratt Union at Pratt, lived at Cunningham with Mrs. R, G. Lewis, her … ANNAS BROWN, right, and daughter, Juanita Whitlow, leave courthouse ….. Dr. Murphy said tha abortion had not been accomplished, merely started,” The date of the article is May 28, 1950.

Source: 171 Kan. 557, 236 P.2d 59 Supreme Court of Kansas. State v. Brown No. 38342.Oct. 6, 1951

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