Woman accused of killing niece fighting extradition to Nevada

SACRAMENTO - An emergency room technician accused of killing her pregnant teen-age niece and surgically removing the girl's nearly full-term baby intends to fight her extradition to Nevada, a district attorney said Wednesday.

Erin Rae Kuhn-Brown, 31, is charged with two counts of murder in the death of her niece, 17-year-old Kathaleena Draper, and her unborn baby last month.

She had been expected to waive extradition during a court appearance in Sacramento County scheduled on Friday, Lyon County (Nev.) District Attorney Robert Estes said.

But Estes said he learned Wednesday she will fight her extradition after all. He told KOLO-TV in Reno he has prepared a formal request for a governor's warrant and will deliver it to California on Thursday.

Investigators said Kuhn-Brown killed Draper after the teen changed her mind about letting Kuhn-Brown adopt her baby. The pair argued and Kuhn-Brown asphyxiated Draper, who was close to her delivery date, police said.

Kuhn-Brown, an emergency room technician, then tried to deliver the baby alive but the infant boy died a short time later, investigators said. Police found Draper's body wrapped in plastic near a Sacramento dump site June 17. Officials found the baby's body June 19 near Silver Springs, Nev.

Nevada authorities are asking to have Kuhn-Brown brought to Lyon County to stand trial for the murders, which they say took place while the two were driving to Las Vegas.