A Snowflake midwife is facing a slate of felony charges after state prosecutors say her unlicensed care at a local birth center contributed to the in‑utero death of a baby and defrauded clients over several years.
Lorraine P. Ferrante, 73, and her Snowflake facility, Conscious Choices Birth Center, were indicted this spring on allegations that her unlicensed midwifery care played a role in the death of an unborn baby on Feb. 5, 2025. A state grand jury returned a multi‑count indictment accusing Ferrante and the birth center of fraud, identity theft and repeatedly performing midwifery without a license.
The charges were announced by the statewide Medicaid Fraud Control Unit as part of a larger health‑care fraud takedown, according to the Arizona Attorney General's Office. Prosecutors charged Ferrante with fraudulent schemes and artifices, identity theft, negligent homicide and three counts of performing midwifery without a license.
According to a grand‑jury indictment dated May 26, 2026 and posted by KVOA, Ferrante is accused of causing the death of an unborn child on Feb. 5, 2025, identified in the document as Elah Renee Shepherd. The filing also alleges that in January 2025 she used another person's identifying information, among other acts, and it includes the counts and the cause number filed in Navajo County Superior Court.
Public provider records show Conscious Choices Birth Center LLC was registered with the National Provider Identifier database and lists a practice location at 461 W Center St. in Snowflake. The NPI entry and local listings identify Ferrante as the authorized official for the business. Provider directory information from Vitadox confirms the address and phone number.
What the Indictment Alleges
The indictment outlines what prosecutors describe as a multi‑year scheme to defraud clients and improperly bill for services while Ferrante allegedly operated without a midwifery license from 2020 through 2025. In plain terms, the state is accusing her of running an off‑the‑books operation and cashing in on it.
According to KVOA, the grand jury returned:
- a Class 2 felony count for fraudulent schemes,
- a Class 4 felony identity‑theft charge tied to a Jan. 21, 2025 incident,
- three separate Class 6 felony counts for performing midwifery without a proper license, and
- a Class 4 felony negligent‑homicide count linked to the Feb. 5, 2025 stillbirth.
The court documents spell out the specific dates and conduct behind each charge.
Legal Implications
Negligent homicide in Arizona is a Class 4 felony, and sentencing follows the state's felony classification and guideline system. The midwifery‑without‑a‑license counts are charged as Class 6 felonies for performing a health profession without proper credentials, while the fraud and identity‑theft counts carry their own classifications and potential prison ranges.
Arizona Courts provide a sentencing overview that explains how these felony classes translate into presumptive terms and ranges under state law, depending on prior record and other factors. In other words, the label on each count is not just legal jargon; it shapes how much time a defendant could be facing if convicted.
What Happens Next
The case is listed as Cause No. 98 SGJ 131 in Navajo County Superior Court and will move through arraignment and pretrial proceedings there. The Arizona Attorney General's Office has assigned Assistant Attorney General Ryan Dill to prosecute the matter, and the office says the indictment was returned as part of a broader enforcement sweep targeting health‑care fraud and unlicensed practice.
Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, a point that will loom large as this case winds through the system and the evidence moves from charging documents to a courtroom.
Attorney General Kris Mayes has framed the takedown as a response to unlicensed and dangerous medical practice, describing unlicensed midwifery as a rising and dangerous problem in Arizona. AZFamily covered the press conference and listed the Ferrante indictment among the 42 charges announced statewide, highlighting the office's focus on cracking down on unlicensed practice and fraud.
