"However shocking, the call came in to the newsroom.

Din� College officials discovered what appeared to be a near full-term fetus in the toilet of a stall in the woman's bathroom, the unnamed caller said. The reporter took the information early last week and began making his own calls.

The first call was to the Shiprock college's president, Ferlin Clark, who confirmed the find, but directed questions to Shiprock police.

The second call, as was told to us, was more definite.

"We don't know whose child this is, bit it was found in the women's restroom," said Lt. Louis St. Germaine, who heads the police department's criminal investigators.

The story seemed concrete. All available, relevant information was gathered, a story written, printed and tossed out to the county's driveways. Word of the incident spread onto news wires. Others picked up the story.

By day two, more information was filtering in and the officials' comments began to unravel. Another investigator called and said what was found was not a fetus, rather it was the placenta � a large organ that forms around an unborn fetus to provide vital nutrients."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Sources didn't get story straight in placenta incident (The Farmington Daily Times 11/22)

Relevant Links:
Dine College - http://www.dinecollege.edu

Related Stories:
Fetus was not discarded in Dine College bathroom (11/16)
Fetus discarded in bathroom at Navajo Nation college (11/14)