Craft stores are dangerous

At least in my town.

Fight between women in craft store may have resulted in miscarriage

By Doane Yawger
DYAWGER@MERCEDSUN-STAR.COM

Last Updated: February 10, 2007, 02:43:35 AM PST

Merced police are investigating a fight between two women in a North Merced store that may have resulted in one of them losing her 2-month-old fetus.

Lt. Andre Matthews of the Merced Police Department said a 27-year-old Merced woman challenged a 23-year-old pregnant woman to a fight at 3:30 p.m. Thursday inside Michael's craft store at 655 Fairfield Drive.

Matthews said the 27-year-old woman pushed the victim against a shopping cart, and turned the cart over. Her 1-year-old son landed on the floor.

The child received minor bumps and bruises in the fall but his distraught mother complained of abdominal pain. She was taken by ambulance to the Community Campus of Mercy Medical Center Merced where she reportedly aborted the fetus, Matthews said.

The 27-year-old woman was placed under citizen's arrest for misdemeanor assault but the incident remains under investigation and police will be checking on the pregnancy aspect. The women may have had a history of past conflict, Matthews said.

The lieutenant said the woman had tried to ignore the confrontation before she was pushed against the shopping cart.

Associate Editor Doane Yawger can be reached at 385-2485 or dyawger@mercedsun-star.com.