Pretrial Program for NJ Couple in Stillborn Disposal Case

A New Jersey couple who allegedly disposed of their stillborn baby in the garbage have been allowed to enter a pretrial intervention program.

Morris County prosecutors had charged 25-year-old Erin Dougherty and her 31-year-old boyfriend, with unlawful disposal of medical waste in May. The charges will now be dismissed if they successfully complete the program. The boyfriend’s record in relation to this charge was later expunged. New Jersey 101.5 has removed his name from this post.

Authorities say Dougherty was approximately 25 weeks pregnant when she suffered a stillborn birth on May 6 and the baby was discarded in a trash receptacle outside their East Hanover home.

The trash was picked up on May 7 and the rubbish was taken to a Pennsylvania landfill.

Dougherty and the boyfriend were approved for the PTI program on Tuesday. The boyfriend, though, will also have to perform 25 hours of community service.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)