Shivangi Sinha
In July 2019, Angela “Angee” Hock voluntarily turned herself into the police after being charged with negligent child abuse that resulted in the death of a newborn baby. Angee had been acting as the midwife for a woman named Emily Noe, who gave birth to a baby that passed away just two days later. The baby had been in a breech position during the delivery, which led to serious complications. Prosecutors argued that Angee was not licensed as a professional midwife to handle such a high-risk birth. The case, along with the arguments presented by Angee in her defense, was featured in an episode of A&E’s ‘Accused: Did I Do It? ’, titled ‘Negligent Midwife or Responsible Caregiver?’, where both sides of the story were explored in detail.
Angee Hock Was Charged After She Assisted a Breech Delivery
Angela “Angee” Hock began her career as a birth professional in 2004, initially offering consultations to expectant mothers. In 2013, she transitioned into working as a doula, and much of her dedication to her work stemmed from her own personal experiences. After giving birth to two of her children in a hospital, she felt that she wasn’t being allowed to follow her natural instincts and believed she would have had a better experience with a home birth. Motivated by these feelings, she began taking various courses and skill training to handle different home birth scenarios. Over time, she began practicing as an unlicensed midwife in Nebraska.
In July 2019, Angee was assisting Emily Noe with the home birth of her second child. She had also been present for the birth of Emily’s first baby, and there was a strong sense of trust between them. According to Angee, she was called to the home around 2:30 am on June 15, 2019, to help with the delivery. As labor progressed, she realized that the baby was in a breech position. She claimed she advised the family to go to the hospital, but they allegedly chose to wait. At some point, Emily went to the bathroom and called for help when the baby was partially delivered. Angee said she immediately called 911 and, due to the emergency, performed an episiotomy using trauma shears because she didn’t have surgical scissors available.
Emily gave birth to her daughter, Vera Noe, while in the ambulance, but the baby wasn’t crying. The newborn passed away on June 17 due to a lack of oxygen to the brain. Following this, Angee was charged with negligent child abuse resulting in death and was taken into custody. She spent two days in jail before being released on a $250,000 bond. After her release, Angee maintained that she had done everything she could under the circumstances and did not believe she was responsible for the baby’s death.
Angee Hock Was Not Found Guilty of Criminally Negligent Behavior
Angee Hock’s trial didn’t begin until December 2022, and she opted for a bench trial. The prosecution argued that she was not licensed to practice midwifery in Nebraska and had misrepresented her qualifications to the parents, Emily and Crayton Noe. They claimed her actions, including a poorly performed episiotomy using trauma shears, directly contributed to the baby’s death. An obstetrician testified that the use of trauma shears was inappropriate and that the procedure had not been done properly. In her defense, Angee stated that she had been transparent about her qualifications and the services she could offer, and Crayton supported this in his testimony. She explained that baby Vera appeared stable while still under her care and only stopped breathing during the ambulance ride. After hearing testimonies from various medical professionals, the judge ultimately found her not guilty of the charges.
Angee Hock is Working as an Advocate for Birthing Rights Today
Angee Hock received an outpouring of support from midwives and birth professionals across the country during and after her trial. Despite being acquitted, she made the difficult decision to stop practicing as a midwife. Instead, she redirected her energy toward advocacy work, focusing on improving birthing rights for women. At the time, Nebraska had some of the most restrictive laws regarding home births. The state did not allow Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) to practice legally, and home births were often limited to those assisted by nurses or doctors with specific credentials. This meant that many women who wanted a natural home birth had few legal options.
Angee is the founder of Nebraska Birth Keeper, a Private Membership Association (PMA) she launched in 2017. The organization brings together a collective of independent midwives, doulas, childbirth educators, and holistic birth professionals who share a commitment to serving families seeking more autonomy and personalized care in their birth experiences. Since stepping away from hands-on midwifery, Angee has continued to champion legislative reform in Nebraska. She has been particularly active in advocating for insurance reimbursement for doulas, which would make birth support more accessible for women of all backgrounds. A key focus of her advocacy is support for LB 1060, a bill that seeks to give parents the legal right to refuse mandatory Newborn Screening based on medical, religious, or personal beliefs.
Her work and perspectives have also reached broader audiences through platforms like ‘The Empowered Birth’ podcast, where she has openly discussed her personal philosophies, experiences in birth work, and vision for the future of maternal health care in Nebraska. Passionate about continual learning, Angee actively participates in courses, workshops, and certifications that expand her knowledge in birth advocacy, trauma-informed care, and maternal rights. Through Nebraska Birth Keeper and her advocacy, Angee remains a dedicated voice in the fight for birth freedom and maternal empowerment.
Angee Hock is a Proud Mother to Six Kids
Angee Hock lives in Kearney, Nebraska, with her husband, Tracy Hock, and together, they are raising a large, close-knit family of six children, with their eldest being 20 years old. Outside of her work and advocacy, Angee leads a vibrant and active life. She enjoys spending time in nature and takes great pleasure in camping, hunting, and hiking—activities that allow her to connect with both her family and the land around her. This love for the outdoors is woven into the rhythm of her family life and reflects the same grounded, intentional values she brings into her work supporting women and families across Nebraska.
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