Posted on 05/03/2005 7:33:22 AM PDT by 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.
I am one of those mother's who life is at risk. I am presently carrying a child 8 weeks in the womb. I was rushed to the hospital last night due to spotting and cramping, and I sobbed with JOY that my child still had a heartbeat.
At just 8 weeks, my beloved baby has a heartbeat, a brain, little limbs, and a spinal cord. At just 12 weeks, my baby will be fully formed, all its organs in place, all its limbs, the basics of everything it will eventually be. It will be able to hear my voice, sense my emotions. It will need only time, oxygen, nourishment, and love to grow and refine itself.
This girl's baby is 14 weeks old. At this point, the child has surpassed the capabilities of the a child at 12 weeks. It has all of the sensors necessary, including a rapidly developing nervous system, to feel what is happening to it.
While folks can pose any number of scenarios about what's happening to the mother who stands before us, the reality that the child we do not readily see will feel every agonizing moment of its death when we choose to abort it. At this stage, they may do a chemical burn and then a D&C, where they inject fluids into the sac that burn the baby, and then scrape the baby out bit by bit. Some of these little ones do not go quietly, they swim and squirm away from the needle, writhe in pain from the burning, and fight against the intrusion of the instruments that tear them apart.
Don't believe me? I'm sure folks have links to pictures of babies that were aborted.
Don't want to see the pictures of the monstrous death these people are advocating? Then please do not support their decision to advocate it.
You need to chill. You are chasing people around threads, spouting extremisms that have little to do with debate and more to do with inciting fights.
Take a peek and the flames I've gotten for saying there is no good answer here.
Good for YOU! You will be truly doing God's work.
stands is just trying to cause trouble. Don't waste you finger muscles!
Hmmm...is DCF going to investigate who's the father? Will they go after the father for rape if he's over 18? Will they dare to find out if the father worked for DCF? Is this child permitted to sue DCF for not protecting her? With all of the things she apparently has "the right" to do, I sure hope this is one of them.
Your emotional references toward me are unwarranted. I asked you to explain your own colorful description of abortion hell. As for your quote above--the chances are definitely not the latter, and I know it. Now for your next quote:
I personally do like to see to abortions used for birth control...
A typo?
This is truly tragic... I'm sure her Mom had the option to get an abortion too but decided not too and to give her child a chance! and now the state is telling her an abortion is ok? and that a 13 year old is of sound mind? I'm 19 and I'm not of sound mind I know middle aged people who are crazy... This isn't right... We all have a right to life. This is truly sad.
And abortion makes it right? This isn't a case of trying to fix a broken vase or a dented car. We now have to consider that another p-e-r-s-o-n is in this equation.
"Or would you do whatever it took to make it right"
And abortion makes it right? This isn't a case of trying to fix a broken vase or a dented car. We now have to consider that another p-e-r-s-o-n is in this equation.
;o)
Since you for some reason have been researching me, I will explain. I HAVE NOT changed my core anti-abortion beliefs. What has changed is my feelings towards SOME anti-abortion activists. I have witnessed hostility towards and a lack of concern for the conditions into which saved children will be born. I have been seeking to increase my faith in recent years, and am taking with the way Jesus speaks of the poor, the lonely, the sinful. It has made me realize there is more to pro-life than just being against abortion. More means just that, not less anti-abortion conviction, more beliefs added to it. I do not advocate killing babies. Is that plain enough?
I'm not angry or upset. You seem to be, though.
You are chasing people around threads, spouting extremisms that have little to do with debate and more to do with inciting fights.
So you are accusing me of trolling. You should be aware that it's not a mild accusation to accuse me of violating FR guidelines, so you might want to have some proof to back it up.
Which threads am I chasing people around on? I only saw you on this thread and my comments referred only to the comments you posted here.
What extremist comments have I made? That abortion is wrong? Well, the owner of this site is pro-life, so I guess you might consider him extremist as well.
Making unfounded accusations is not what I'd call "debating."
You are competely emotional and not arguing facts. (/sarcasm)
I agree for the most part. I still see a death as a tragedy that should be avoided though.
Thanks for the sarcasm tag.
If you are going to talk about me, please ping me.
Your welcome.
Now remember, you have to be a little bit pro-choice to be rational in this debate. Otherwise, you are an extremist trying to make trouble. ;-)
I don't know you from Adam, so quit with the paranoia.
And TTTT, what Jesus says is immaterial to me, as I am not a Christian.
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