A pregnant Miami-Dade inmate has given birth to a baby who had been at the center of a bizarre legal case.
The child of Natalia Harrell, who was arrested last July on a second-degree murder charge, was born Sunday and is in the care of relatives, family members said Thursday.
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Both baby and mother were said to be healthy, though after giving birth at Jackson Memorial Hospital, the 24-year-old Harrell was brought back to jail.
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The baby made national news even before they were even born, when a petition was filed on their behalf earlier this year seeking the fetus' release from jail, claiming the child was being unlawfully held.
The unusual petition also claimed the unborn child had received inadequate prenatal care while Harrell has been held without bond.
Miami-Dade Corrections officials disputed that claim, and an attorney representing the department said there was never a concern about the baby’s health based on Harrell’s numerous visits to an obstetrician at Jackson Memorial and her being prescribed supplements and prenatal vitamins.
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Florida's 3rd District Court of Appeals dismissed the emergency petition last month. Days later, a Miami-Dade judge denied bond for Harrell.
Harrell is accused of fatally shooting 28-year-old Gladys Borcela after the two got into an argument in an Uber, police said.
The shooting was captured on the Uber driver's surveillance camera, a key piece of evidence in the case.
Her attorneys have argued Harrell was acting in self-defense, saying she was assaulted by Borcela and was in fear for her life and the life of her unborn child when she fired the fatal shot.
Prosecutors argued that Harrell had pulled out a gun and had it in between her legs even before they said Borcela made any sort of movement towards Harrell.
Defense attorneys have said in court records that they'll seek to have the case dismissed under Florida's so-called "Stand Your Ground" law.
Harrell's next court date is in September.
