DA drops self-abortion case vs. NYC woman

NEW YORK (AP) — Prosecutors are dropping a case against a New York City woman arrested on a rare self-abortion charge after her fetus was found among trash.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office said Tuesday it’s declining to prosecute 20-year-old Yaribely Almonte but continuing to investigate. Prosecutors wouldn’t elaborate.

Almonte was arrested in November. The misdemeanor charge concerns a woman forcibly causing a miscarriage when more than six months pregnant.

Authorities previously said they were exploring whether Almonte drank an herbal concoction billed as an abortion-causing tea.

The case was dropped before Almonte was to be arraigned. It’s unclear whether she has a lawyer. No phone number could be found for her.

The state Criminal Justice Services Division says before Almonte’s arrest, only four people statewide had been charged with self-abortion since 1980.