Judge Okays Abortion For Girl, 13

St. Petersburg Times ^ | 5/3/05 | Associated Press

[areafiftyone]

WEST PALM BEACH - A 13-year-old at the center of an abortion fight with the state was given permission Monday to terminate her pregnancy, but it was unclear whether she immediately underwent the procedure.

Attorneys for the girl, known only as L.G. in court papers, said the abortion was scheduled for later Monday. However, the state Department of Children and Families appealed the decision, according to Maxine Williams, one of the teen's attorneys.

"Since this is still in litigation, I can't speak to what's going on in court," DCF spokeswoman Marilyn Munoz said.

Palm Beach Juvenile Judge Ronald Alvarez issued an order last week temporarily stopping the teen, who lives in a state shelter, from having the abortion. DCF argued she was too young and immature to decide for herself and state law prohibited the agency from consenting to an abortion.

Alvarez held up the abortion until a psychological evaluation was completed, but he ruled Monday that the teen would not be physically or emotionally harmed by the abortion.

"Legally speaking, it's not a difficult decision to make," Alvarez was quoted as saying by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "Morally speaking, it's a very difficult decision for this court to make. ... But I'm not here to make the moral decision. I'm here to make the legal decisions."

"He ruled that she is competent, that she has made a decision and that she has a right to act on that decision," said Howard Simon, executive director of the Florida branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, which helped represent the girl. The judge also declared "her right to act on that decision is also in her best interest," Simon said.

The teen, who was more than 14 weeks pregnant, has been in DCF care for at least four years.

Her attorneys say Florida law protects a minor's right to choose an abortion.

Florida's high court cited state privacy rights in 1989 when it tossed out a law that would have required parental consent for a minor's abortion.

[NJ_gent]

"There certainly would be more babies to adopt if not for abortion.

Certainly - there would be more children sitting under state 'care' waiting and hoping that someone, at some point, will love them. I'm not saying that abortion is the better solution, but it's not a wonderful thing to have tons and tons of kids in 'the system' for whatever reason (unwanted pregnancy, parents died, etc). That's a separate issue from the problems I mentioned. As it stands, availability remains, but so does the red tape. The red tape remains so that children don't end up in the hands of those who'd love to get their hands on kids but never ought to (molestors, psychotics, those incapable of caring for children, etc).

"very likely less red tape, if not for abortion."

I should certainly hope there would be no less background checks on prospective parents by adoption agencies and state children's services. Doing away with checks is what lands kids in homes that are either unstable or otherwise destructive to the ends of ensuring the safety and well-being of children. Those who are so anxious and impatient that they're unwilling to go through the process of adopting a child in the US are probably ill equiped to handle the responsibility of raising a child; an endeavor I'm sure any parent would agree requires an incredible amount of patience.

We have plenty of children waiting to be adopted here in the United States. Plenty of them are perfectly healthy and emotionally stable children. They, along with the crack babies and disturbed children continue to wait for those willing to make the effort and take the time to adopt in the US while countless people go overseas to do it the easy way. More children being pumped into the system isn't what we need (again, not saying abortion is the solution).

[monday]

"Those who are so anxious and impatient that they're unwilling to go through the process of adopting a child in the US are probably ill equiped to handle the responsibility of raising a child; an endeavor I'm sure any parent would agree requires an incredible amount of patience."

Or don't want to spend the 50,000 plus or the years of waiting. Save your breath. I know parents of children adopted overseas. There is absolutely nothing wrong with them which would preclude them from adopting a child, indeed your assumption that they are ill equipped or a child molester is absurd. All of them would have preferred to adopt domestically but the run around and expense was ridiculous.

If indeed there are plenty of healthy babies waiting to be adopted in the US as you say then perhaps they would be better off being adopted then sitting in 'state care' getting older by the day and more mentally messed up. If cutting the red tape and expense would help then thats what should be done. It would be better for the children.

[tutstar]

There was an incident in Jacksonville last year I think and there was a small child 3 or 4 yrs old in foster care who was being sexually abused by another foster child in the same home. There were 7 foster kids in the same home and guess what? DCF did NOT remove that child from the home because there is a shortage of foster parents and no place to put the child. I've been trying to find the article but can't. DCF admitted that sexual abuse was a big problem in foster care and is mostly committed by other foster kids.

Now we both know that if we knew a child in our home was being molested that they would take our kids in a heartbeat yet they are allowed to continue to keep these precious children in a dangerous situation.

[monday]

"Medically speaking, it is much more dangerous for a thirteen year old to carry a pregnancy and deliver than to have an abortion."

Then why, on a thread over one hundred posts long, am I the only one to mention it? Would all these people also demand that a pregnant 10 year old carry her baby to term? Seems strange to me.

[floriduh voter]

If you google Bill O' Reilly, The Factor, he's been on Fla's DCF's case for quite some time. Last week O' Reilly said he was coming to Florida to do some fact finding. I don't know if he was kidding or if he's really going to come down. Maybe he wants to do like Hannity and show up for ratings. Anyway, DCF's sins and failures are fairly well documented by O' Reilly.

DCF had it easy with Terri. They just shredded and burnt her real records. They were on the same side as Greer which is no surprise. They have the worst attorneys who just get a paycheck.

[EdJay]

"Murdering a innocent child is not the answer. There are many loving, stable, two-parent families who would love to adopt this child. She should give birth and the child should be immediately placed in her adoptive home, all strings cut to the bio. mother. "

You are not the only poster here who says the girl should give birth, and the child adopted. What about the girl herself?

if there are all these people out there who want to adopt a kid, why don't some of them adopt the 13 year old? Is it only BABIES that are adoptable? After a certain time a child is past its shelf life?

Why was this kid (and she is a KID) stuck in a group foster home?
Where's the "loving, stable, two-parent" family to give HER a good home? OK, so maybe she's a "difficult" kid. Maybe she comes from a "bad background". All the more reason for a true Christian to want to give her a chance in life. At 13 your character is not molded for life. In the dialogue I read between her and the judge at the hearing for the abortion she sounded like a smart, poised, articulate girl even if she was misguided about the abortion. Somebody like that could be worked with.

The baby doesn't deserve to be murdered, but the girl doesn't deserve to be flung out like garbage either.

[EdJay]

"I agree it is hell. My cousins had to go to Columbia South America twice to adopt children. Not a very friendly place to Americans either! They could not adopt children here because they cost too much money for a newborn and it seems that Hollywierd has the monopoly on adoption in this country."

If you don't insist on a newborn, though -- there are lots of older kids who are available to adopt RIGHT HERE IN THE US. Of course, some of them are of mixed parentage, or they have physical, emotional, or mental problems. Most people want the perfect baby.

I was raised with two sibs who were adopted by my parents when they were 10 and 12, respectively, so I know it can work.

[madprof98]

Yell and scream all you want about life, that's fine, but just acknowledge that the alternative is no bed of roses.

Oh, it's pure crap. Truly awful! Whereas killing the unwanted is a bed of roses. Why, then there's no more crime . . . indeed, no more suffering at all. What we really need to do is kill EVERYBODY. That would give humanity pure Nirvana. (Maybe we should starve people, a popular mode of taking folks out down in Florida, and one widely regarded as euphoric.)

[NJ_gent]

"Or don't want to spend the 50,000 plus or the years of waiting."

$50,000USD? Where did that figure come from?

From this page, it appears as though costs can be fairly minimal, especially if you're adopting a special needs child. Costs go up from there primarily based on attorney costs and birth parent expenses; both of which can be controlled (the latter is capped by state law). The site's figures never reach $50,000, but I suppose if you have OJ's legal dream team of half a dozen lawyers working around the clock to finalize your adoption, you might hit $50k. Then again, with all that lawyering, you could probably kidnap a kid and keep it. Kidding aside, state and federal subsidies also exist to help defer adoption costs for children who have been awaiting adoption in a foster home. According to the US Dept of Health and Human Services, the average cost of an independent agency adoption is $10,000-$15,000.

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with them"

I'm not saying there is, other than a bit of impatience. After all, I don't even know the people, so it's rather difficult to comment on their particular circumstances. They could very well make excellent parents. What I'm saying is that those who simply hop overseas because it's quick, easy, and cheap would probably be better off getting a cat instead. The average waiting time for an adoption in the United States is 12-18 months; not "years".

"your assumption that they are ill equipped or a child molester is absurd."

I made neither assumption, especially since I don't even know your friends. Again, the red tape exists so that kids aren't dropped off in the hands of whoever's dying to get their hands on some kids. There's no way to turn it around so that checking into who you're handing kids to is a bad thing. The number one priority for any agency caring for children awaiting adoption should always be to not make the child's situation worse. Handing them over to people the agency knows nothing about is a mistake, to say the least.

"the run around and expense was ridiculous."

Apologies for the lack of a 'drive-through' at the adoption agency, but they probably want to know who's getting their hands on the kids before handing them over. Instant gratification isn't available to natural parents and it will hopefully never be to prospective adoptive parents either. Patience is a virtue, and it's one that's necessary if the child is to be provided with a stable and safe home.

"If indeed there are plenty of healthy babies waiting to be adopted in the US as you say then perhaps they would be better off being adopted then sitting in 'state care' getting older by the day and more mentally messed up."

I agree, which is why I lamented about the people who go to foreign countries because it's a little cheaper and a bit quicker. You can go to the pound and bring home a new puppy tomorrow. That a bit more checking into the environment proposed for a human child is required should be common sense, I'd think. Handing children over to pedophiles, rapists, drug addicts, abusive people, people with an unstable income, people who are, themselves, unstable mentally or emotionally, or people who are simply not going to make good parents is likely far more destructive to a child than a lifetime in foster care.

Your friends may be perfectly fine, upstanding people. How an adoption agency is supposed to know that without checking into them is beyond me. You don't hand a child over to whoever comes asking unless you're in a third-world hellhole and the person asking is an American looking to bring the kid to the fabled land of milk and honey.

[richmwill]

There is no right answer to this. Either the child has the abortion, or she gives birth to the kid and it basically becomes an instant financial burden to the state, for many years.

[topher]

Note: If Planned Parenthood is funding some of the litigation for the girl to have the abortion, this is your tax dollars at work.

The Federal Government funds Planned Parenthood.

If nothing else, during the filibuster, this is an issue that can be raised for a place to cut funding in the Federal Budget -- Planned Parenthood and the abuse of little girls by Planned Parenthood.

[topher]

Score another success for the ACLU.

ACLU is one of the players, but also Planned Parenthood, NARAL and the NAF (National Abortion Federation).

It is big business to give abortions to little girls...

[topher]

I just found out the other day that the former President of Planned Parenthood was kicked out because she decided to have Planned Parenthood endorse John Kerry for President.

This is Gloria Feldt (spelling I am not sure of).

The web page:

Caught on Tape -- Planned Parenthood and NAF (National Abortion Federation) Conceal Child Abuse

The article on Child Abuse is half way down the web page. It talks about how an Planned Parenthood and NAF helped a 13 year old conceal a statutory rape by a 22 year old man. LDI had a young woman with a very young voice call and pose as a 13 year old. Over 800 tape recordings were made. Yet there has been no criminal indictments of either Planned Parenthood or NAF over this.

[Robert_Paulson2]

err on the side of life, is but a euphemism for the real goal... err on the side of money.

capitalism has a tendency to associate and substitute Money for God.

instead of associating God, with life.

get used to it.
we are fallen.

and get your new driver's licence too citizen, it is in your best interest for the almighty state to have control over all it's citizens, while leaving the borders wide open.

we are seeing ignorance, gone to seed being manifest before our very eyes.

[GSlob]

Well, look at the bright side - the taxpayers have been spared yet another welfare case and $100K+ outlay on it. It is bad enough she has already been a ward of the state for 4 years, and will continue for several years more.

[Lexinom]

1) Why is she pregnant.

2) What capital crime has the baby committed that he must be executed.

3) Is Michael Schiavo still a free man?

[NautiNurse]

This is one of those Grey areas in the abortion debate

Killing the unborn does not make a better solution to this tragedy.
Adoption hell---please explain your description.

[stands2reason]

Better Dead Than Adopted?

What kind of BS is that?

[grellis]

That was something I was going to post this afternoon--this girl is in desperate need of being adopted, just as much as her baby (if there is still a baby). For a long time now I have been interested in becoming a foster parent. It is something my husband and I have discussed at length. We're waiting until our youngest is in school before we begin the process--I want to be able to give a child in need as much undivided attention as possible.

Two years to go.

[tutstar]

One thing's for sure and that is that DCF is a mess. I'd use another military term for "mess" if I knew I wouldn't get my post pulled and also don't want to ruin my reputation for clean language.

Gov Bush isn't going to appeal the ruling allowing the girl's abortion.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/florida/news-article.aspx?storyid=36557

sometimes I wonder why I stay in this state!