Woman is being held on $1M bail for murder
PICO NEIGHBORHOOD — A Santa Monica woman was arrested Thursday for allegedly stabbing to death another woman’s unborn child. by the Los Angeles Police Department in the 1800 block of 18th Street early Thursday, according to P.J. Morris, homicide coordinator for LAPD’s northeast division. allegedly stabbing a 32-year-old pregnant woman outside of her home in the Los Feliz area on Oct. 13. The woman survived, but her unborn daughter did not, Det. Morris said.
“It was a viable fetus,” he said. “We do believe we have the suspect responsible for this heinous crime.”
The victim was leaving her home to go to work when Caldwell-Later allegedly approached her and stabbed her, Morris said.
“They knew each other and we don’t believe it was a random situation,” he said.
The fetus was 23 weeks old. Close to two dozen LAPD uniformed officers and detectives descended upon a residence on 18th Street shortly after 6:30 a.m. Police believe that Caldwell-Later had been staying at the residence for several weeks. She was arrested without incident.
LAPD detectives also served a search warrant at a home in the 1100 block of Ozone Street, where several items were seized as evidence. Morris declined to discuss what that evidence was or if the murder weapon was recovered.
The murder case has yet to be filed with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, but Morris expects it to be reviewed by Monday, when Caldwell- Later will appear in court for an arraignment. She is being held on $1 million bail at the LAPD’s 77th Street women’s detention center.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 2, 2005. Read the original PDF.