July 22, 2025

Chapter 110: A Hidden Crisis-American Infanticide & The Emilie Weaver Case with Clara S. Lewis

Chapter 110: A Hidden Crisis-American Infanticide & The Emilie Weaver Case with Clara S. Lewis

Today I sat down with Clara S. Lewis, author of American Infanticide: Sexism, Science, and the Politics of Sympathy, to examine the deeply unsettling and complex case of Emilie Weaver, a college student convicted of killing her newborn in 2015. Clara walked me through how the legal system, media, and public perception often fail to grasp the complex realities behind neonaticide and infanticide in America. From the influence of a long history of stigmatizing young mothers that shape how we respond to these tragedies, the systemic forces that leave young women isolated and desperate, we discussed why these cases are far more common and more misunderstood than many realize. This is a conversation about stigma, silence, and the consequences of a justice system ill-equipped to reckon with maternal trauma.

Get American Infanticide: Sexism, Science, and the Politics of Sympathy here

Connect with us on Social Media!
You can find us at:
Instagram: @bookofthedeadpod
X:
@bkofthedeadpod
Facebook:
The Book of the Dead Podcast
TikTok:
Bookofthedeadpod
Or visit our website at
www.botdpod.com

Learn more about Clara by checking out her Guest Bio at www.botdpod.com

Clara S Lewis Profile Photo

Clara S Lewis

PhD

Clara S Lewis teaches at Dartmouth College and serves as an expert witness on neonaticide cases. She writes at the intersection of sociology, law, and American history, with publications in journals including Pediatrics and Critical Criminology. She is also Mars and Ivy’s mom.