After deliberating for just 15 minutes, a jury found Regina McKnight, 24, guilty of homicide. The verdict represents the first time a woman in the United States has been found guilty of homicide for taking drugs during a pregnancy.

"The state needed to press forward because a child ended up dead," prosecutor Bert von Herrmann said. "She smoked cocaine as much and as often as she could. If that's not extreme indifference to life, I don't know what is."

Wyndi Anderson, executive director of the South Carolina Advocates for Pregnant Women, said the verdict could lead prosecutors to charge women with neglect under other conditions, such as smoking during pregnancy.

McKnight's lawyers said they would appeal the verdict.

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