LONGMONT, Colo. — Michelle Wilkins, the pregnant woman who was stabbed and had her baby cut from her womb, has been released from the hospital, the family confirmed Wednesday.
“Michelle is out of the hospital and in a safe place,” her family writes on Wilkins’ GoFundMe page. “As you might imagine, we’re navigating troubled waters one would never want to see in a lifetime.
“The issues to be dealt with now are coming like tsunamis, but she has family and friends by her side every step of the way (not to mention her beloved dog Jade, who is now permanently glued to her side).
“What we didn’t anticipate, and for which we will eternally grateful, is the outpouring your generous donations and heartfelt messages. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Wilkins, who was seven months pregnant, was responding to an ad on Craigslist for baby clothes on March 18 when Longmont police said the seller, Dynel Lane, attacked her, opened her womb and took the baby girl, leaving Wilkins bleeding in the basement.
Wilkins called 911 and was rescued by first responders. She had surgery at Longmont United Hospital and had been recovering for the past week. The baby did not survive.
Lane allegedly took the unborn fetus to Longmont United, saying she had miscarriage. She was later arrested on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault and child abuse knowingly/recklessly resulting in death.
The family issued a statement through the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.
Today marks a week since the brutal attack that nearly cost Michelle her life and ended that of her soon to be born baby Aurora. She is now out of the hospital in a safe location and accompanied by her partner Dan, is taking the first tentative steps along a long journey towards recovery and spiritual reconciliation. She is surrounded by friends and family and wishes to express her deep gratitude for all the expressions of love, kindness, and spiritual solidarity she has received from both the Longmont community and from around the world. Michelle believes her recovery is directly aided by the prayers and positive energy she is receiving.
We cannot predict what lies ahead for Michelle. We have no guidebook on how to navigate this crisis, or a checklist on what to do next. We wish there were. What we can say is that we have all been deeply moved by the many people who have reached out to Michelle and her partner to share their own personal stories of tragedies they’ve endured and how they managed to first just survive and then eventually start to heal. That alone has given us the strength to get up and face each day. You’ve touched our hearts and souls and we thank you so much.
For the many members of the media who have reached out to us, we thank you for your continuing interest in Michelle’s well being and the civility that has marked almost all the reporting. We hope you understand our continuing desire for privacy as we try and regroup, pull our lives together, and focus on Michelle’s well-being and recovery. There may be a time in the future where she chooses to share her story, but now is not the moment.
Finally, for the many people who continue to generously reach out to assist Michelle with her recovery and expenses, they can contribute online at a social media site set up by her family:
http://www.gofundme.com/michelle-wilkins
They can also mail their donations to:
The Michelle Wilkins Trust Fund
c/o The Kapsak Law Firm, LLC
1610 Hover St, Suite 203
Longmont, CO 80501