NY State troopers release bodycam footage after woman claims traffic stop caused miscarriage
New York woman claimed a rough arrest by New York State police caused her to miscarry in her third trimester — but the shocking allegation has come into question after the department released bodycam footage of the incident.
Quashaia Oranchak, who was six and a half months pregnant, accused the agency of “bodyslamming her on the hood” of the cruiser during a March 20 traffic stop arrest in Binghamton — just hours before she rushed into an emergency C-section and delivered a dead child.
The footage, however, shows the arresting officer gently handling the woman and repeatedly confirming his intention to take care of her.
“You good? You sure?” the cop asked after hand-feeding her water.
“We have a situation that we’re in right now, but at the end of the day — like I told you before — I’m a reasonable guy. I see that you’re pregnant. If you’re not good, you need to let me know because you’re in my custody now. Your well-being is part of my responsibility.”
The nine-minute video begins with the arresting officer — who was not named — yanking Oranchak out of the driver’s seat after troopers forced her to stop her car because she fled their efforts to pull her over.
Quashaia Oranchak, who was six and a half months pregnant, accused the agency of “bodyslamming her on the hood.”NYSP PIO, /YouTube
The officer grabs Oranchak’s arms behind her back and pushes her near the rear side of her car, but not fully up against it — refuting her claims she was bodyslammed on the hood.
The car’s front seat passenger quickly alerts police that Oranchak is pregnant, which Oranchak confirms several minutes later as cops search her car and pockets.
Throughout the video, the officer speaks kindly with Oranchak and gently walks her into the backseat of the cruiser.
No other officer is seen handling Oranchak, though one cop can be heard repeatedly telling her that her claims she wasn’t fleeing arrest were “bulls–t.”
The officer grabs Oranchak’s arms behind her back and pushes her near the rear side of her car, but not fully up against it — refuting her claims she was bodyslammed on the hood.NYSP PIO, /YouTube
After Oranchak asks for something to drink twice because of her pregnancy, the officer walks back to her car and retrieves her water bottle, which he then holds for her to drink.
It is unclear how Oranchak was handled by police after she was put in the back of the cruiser.
The expecting mom was charged with drug possession and fleeing an officer and transported to Broome County Jail, where she was found unresponsive six hours after her arrest.
State police stated they are not to blame for the unborn child’s death, and said in a press release that a “quantity of fentanyl and methamphetamine was located secreted” in Oranchak’s body.NYSP PIO, /YouTube
Throughout the video, the officer speaks kindly with Oranchak and gently walks her into the backseat of the cruiser. NYSP PIO, /YouTube
Oranchak was rushed to the hospital, where the child was pronounced dead from trauma upon delivery, her lawyers claim.
“It is acknowledged that drugs were found but no one engaged in any violent conduct, no one resisted arrest, no one was doing anything other than in fact going to get laundry done when stopped by the police,” Personal Injury Attorney Ronald Benjamin said, according to News 12.
“The stop violated numerous protocols and yanking her out of the car like a rag doll and slamming her on the hood of the vehicle undoubtedly caused this child’s untimely demise and as such the family is demanding that there be an impartial investigation into the police conduct and resulting homicide.”
The expecting mom was charged with drug possession and fleeing an officer and transported to Broome County Jail, where she was found unresponsive six hours after her arrest.NYSP PIO, /YouTube
State police stated they are not to blame for the unborn child’s death, and said in a press release that a “quantity of fentanyl and methamphetamine was located secreted” in Oranchak’s body.
The incident is still under investigation.