An appeals court overturned the convictions of two women accused of practicing unlicensed midwifery after a mother died of childbirth complications.

In a decision released Friday, the state 2nd District Court of Appeal said jurors received improper instructions.

Linda McGlade and her daughter-in-law, Tanya McGlade, both of Bradenton, were sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison in June 2006 in the first known prosecution of the crime in Florida. They have been on supervised release for more than a year.

The women had aided Linda McGlade's daughter-in-law, who gave birth to a healthy boy at home in 2004. Mara McGlade, 25, bled to death internally two days after delivering.

"We have let it go and tried to move on, live a normal life," Linda McGlade told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. "But to hear the news, we are just so thankful."

Prosecutors are reviewing the appeals court decision.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press