Pregnant wounded teller loses twins

updated 3:20 p.m. ET April 25, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS - A pregnant teller shot in a bank robbery has lost the twins she was carrying, and police continued to search for the gunman Friday.

Katherin Shuffield, who was five months pregnant, was critically wounded when a masked gunman shot her in the abdomen Tuesday morning at a Huntington Bank branch.

Authorities and the family had said the bullets had not hit the twins. Complications set in, however, and Shuffield's husband, Jason, said in a statement that the twins died late Thursday night. He said his 30-year-old wife remained in critical but stable condition at Methodist Hospital.

"Katherin's recovery is our top priority and she continues to receive the best possible care," he said.

Marion County's chief deputy coroner, Alfarena Ballew said she would examine the twins to determine the causes of their deaths.

Police on Friday released three men arrested in connection with the robbery, saying a story told to them by a suspect turned out to be untrue.

All four had been arrested Wednesday and held on preliminary charges of conspiracy to commit robbery; authorities had said none was believed to be the gunman.

Marion County chief trial prosecutor David Wyser said several details that Shed James Jr., 25, told police were inaccurate. He said James would be charged with false reporting. Police do not suspect James in the bank robbery.

"He flat-out lied," Wyser said.

Now that the twins have died, the gunman would be eligible for feticide or other charges, Wyser said without specifying. He said that in order for manslaughter charges to be filed in Indiana, Shuffield would have had to have been at least seven months pregnant.

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