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Fake cancer suspect competent for trial

Posted at 4:53 PM, Dec 01, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-01 18:53:56-05

A woman accused of faking cancerto get Arizona to pay for her late-term abortion has been found competent to stand trial.

Attorneys for both sides agreed Tuesday to accept two doctors' findings of competency for Chalice Renee Zeitner.

The 30-year-old Zeitner is accused of telling her obstetrician in 2010 she had cancer and her pregnancy put her life in further danger.

Prosecutors say Zeitner was enrolled in Arizona's health care program for the poor and had her abortion costs paid for by the state.

The health care program will only cover abortions under limited circumstances, including whether the mother's life is endangered.

After the pregnancy was terminated at a Phoenix hospital in April 2010, authorities say information was obtained indicating Zeitner falsified medical documents purporting that she had cancer.