University of the Pacific Scholarly Commons Legislative Review Journals and Law Reviews 1-1-2008 The iM ssing Angels Act: Recognizing the Birth of Stillborn Babies Colleen Snyder Pacific cGeM orge School of Law Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/greensheet Recommended Citation 39 McGeorge L. Rev. 544 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals and Law Reviews at Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Legislative Review by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. The Missing Angels Act: Recognizing the Birth of Stillborn Babies Colleen Snyder Code Sections Affected Health and Safety Code §§ 103040, 103040.1 (new), §§ 100430, 102950 (amended). SB 850 (Maldonado & Correa); 2007 STAT. Ch. 661. I. INTRODUCTION Joanne Cacciatore gave birth to her daughter Cheyenne on her due date in July 1994.' Sadly, however, Cheyenne's tiny heart stopped beating only fifteen minutes prior to her delivery-she was stillborn.2 Joanne was living one of every parent's worst nightmares, but the pain only grew when she called to order a birth certificate for her stillborn daughter.' She had, after all, given birth to Cheyenne just as she had with her three previous children.4 The only difference was the horrible fifteen minutes that prevented Cheyenne from being born alive.5 A woman at the vital records office told Joanne that, because of those fifteen minutes, there would be no birth certificate.6 "You didn't have a baby. You had a fetus and the fetus died," the woman said.7 Joanne decided to channel her outrage and despair at this tragedy toward change.' Keeping her daughter's memory alive, she founded the Mothers In Sympathy and Support (MISS) Foundation, a support group for parents of stillborn babies.9 The MISS Foundation has since been advocating in state legislatures across the country for birth certificates for stillborn babies.'0 1.