Judge Signs Arrest Order for Rowland

Judge Signs Arrest Order for Rowland


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Kimberly Houk ReportingA judge has signed an arrest warrant for Melissa Rowland, for failing to check into a drug rehabilitation facility in Indiana. Rowland was formerly charged with murder for delaying a C-section that doctors say could have saved the life of her still born twin.

The judge ordered a $10,000 bench warrant for Melissa Ann Rowland. She was court ordered to check into a drug rehab facility in Indiana by May 30th and provide the judge with proof that she had done that -- something she's failed to do.

Entering into rehab was part of a plea deal Rowland made with prosecutors in order to drop the murder charge against her. Instead they ended up charging her with two third degree felony counts of child endangerment.

Rowland plead guilty to the child endangerment charges for her drug use while pregnant. Now the county attorney's office is trying to decide whether or not to bring Rowland back to Utah to face the new charge.

Last week Eyewitness News found out that Rowland has recently been in trouble in Ohio for criminal trespassing. A hotel manager in Chillicothe, Ohio told Eyewitness News that Rowland is using another name, Amy Wakins, to solicit adoption agencies from their hotel, claiming she is once again pregnant.

Some of those agencies were even paying for some of her hotel and food bills. Rowland called KSL recently and says she is not claiming to be Amy Wakins.

Melissa Rowland, May 28, 2004: “People are not giving me a second chance. I can’t even stay in the homeless shelter here because the guy says I’m a baby killer.”

There's a lawyer here in Salt Lake City who represents an adoption agency in Sandy that says it was contacted just last week by an Amy Wakins.

Larry Jenkins, Attorney: “She said that she was living in her car. She asked them for a little bit of help with living expenses.”

She also faxed them a letter from a hospital in Chillicothe that does exist, stating that she is 39 weeks pregnant. However, it's signed by a doctor who doesn't exist.

The County Attorney's office says they will decide tomorrow if they will be extraditing Melissa Rowland back to Utah to face this new charge.

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