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Wellesley woman denies role in death of fetus

E-mail|Link July 12, 2010 01:06 PM

By Alex Katz, Globe Correspondent, and John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

The Wellesley woman accused of beating a pregnant woman so viciously that she lost her 6-month-old fetus appeared in court today with her family by her side and pleaded not guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge for allegedly killing the fetus.

Pool Photo

Ayanna Woodhouse

Ayanna Woodhouse also pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault and battery for allegedly beating Tori Catron inside a Dorchester nail salon April 10 -- even as others inside the salon screamed at her to stop because she was assaulting a pregnant woman, a Suffolk County prosecutor said in court today.

Catron was rushed to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where doctors delivered a girl in an emergency Caesarean section. The baby did not survive and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be trauma-induced placental abruption, which is a detachment of the placenta from the uterus.

Catron was in court for Woodhouse's arraignment but did not speak with reporters. Her father, Ronald Catron, spoke on her behalf, saying that the loss of a potential grandchild was "emotionally hard.''

Ronald Catron also said that he hopes Woodhouse is eventually ordered to spend time behind bars. "She should go to jail,'' he said. "She killed somebody.''

Ronald Catron said his daughter has another child, a 5-year-old son.

"How do you think it feels?'' he told reporters. "It's upsetting, needless to say.''

In court today, it was disclosed that Woodhouse and Catron live in the same Wellesley Housing Authority development on Barton Road.

Woodhouse's attorney, John Hayes, said it was a simple coincidence that both women are neighbors, and was not the result of some plan by his client to intimidate Catron.

"They’ve painted that in a nefarious way,'' Hayes said of prosecutors. "And I don’t believe that’s appropriate.''

Ronald Catron said his daughter does not fear for her own safety from Woodhouse, but would prefer she lived elsewhere. "She doesn't like the idea'' of having Woodhouse for a neighbor, he said.

Bail was set at $20,000 cash for Woodhouse, who was also ordered by Suffolk Assistant Clerk Magistrate Connie Wong to stay away from Catron.

According to Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Leora Joseph, the father of Catron's fetus is a cousin to Woodhouse. While they were in the salon, the two women exchanged words and Woodhouse allegedly jumped on Catron, knocking her to the ground.

Joseph said that Woodhouse kept attacking Catron despite the shouts of others in the nail salon to halt her attack because Catron was pregnant.

After the fight, Woodhouse left the salon and drove away, followed by Catron. Boston police were called to investigate and at about 10:45 p.m., Catron was rushed to the hospital. Four hours later, doctors delivered the lifeless fetus.

According to Hayes, Woodhouse was accompanied by her parents, and other relatives. As they prepared to post bail at the clerk's office this morning, a woman in the group said they would not speak with a Globe reporter.