^^ SBM
It is a very sad case. MF is certainly up there with the best of the socio/manipulatives I've seen and not surprising to me that
she chose what seems baby boy items on very public baby registries. I think this choice could serve multiple purposes including initially deflecting attention to herself. It wouldn't last long.
I also think MF had to be in a mental state that wasn't making her a desirable companion, and her relationship with the man providing her shelter was at risk. She would not be the first to fake a pregnancy to manipulate a partner into staying with her. I wouldn't be surprised if she told the duped baby daddy that she wanted to be surprised at birth to learn the gender. She probably told him she could easily exchange baby items if they had a girl.
It had to be a life not going as planned! I see a woman that lost her job for allegedly stealing $5,000 (State Jail Felony Charge) -- making future professional employment difficult. And by pure luck, the charges against her were dismissed just weeks ago in November 2019. (Prosecution didn't believe they could prove beyond a reasonable doubt).
I'm sure we could come up with a hundred "what ifs" but I have to wonder if a guilty verdict and 180-day jail sentence could have prevented this murder. Passing off a three week old as your newborn much easier than a four-month-old.