Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Judge orders abortion for disabled woman (Florida)
World Net Daily ^ | 5-23-03 | WND

Posted on 05/23/2003 5:00:00 PM PDT by cgk

MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH

Judge orders abortion
for disabled woman

28-year-old also to undergo tubal ligation to bar future pregnancies


Posted: May 23, 2003
4:45 p.m. Eastern


© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

A Miami judge has ruled a mentally disabled rape victim should have an abortion because the pregnancy could be life-threatening, according to local press reports.

The woman, whose identity is not being revealed, is mentally retarded with the cognitive abilities of a 4-year-old, deaf, prone to having seizures and has a shunt in her brain to drain excess fluid.

Police believe the woman was raped, and likely more than once.

Medical experts say carrying the pregnancy to full-term would be dangerous for her and may result in the baby being deformed. The mother of the woman asked for the pregnancy to be terminated.

"My main concern now is my daughter, she told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "When I heard that heartbeat, you will never know what it did to me. But I can't be asked to choose between my grandchild or my daughter."

Doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital scheduled an abortion for last week, reports the Sun-Sentinel, but chose not to perform it because the baby appeared to be developing normally and there was no medical reason to terminate the pregnancy.

Yesterday, the woman's newly appointed guardians asked the court to decide the fate of the 23-week-old unborn baby.

"My baby no more" the disabled woman reportedly told the judge at the hearing.

Lewis Fogle, the woman's court-appointed attorney, told Circuit Judge Arthur Rothenberg that after looking into the case and communicating with her as much as he could, he concluded she wanted an abortion.

In a brief order issued today, Rothenberg agreed to the abortion and also ordered the 28-year-old woman to undergo a tubal ligation to prevent future pregnancies, reports the Miami Herald.

Rothenberg also ordered a DNA sample from the unborn baby be preserved so that police can identify the rapist, according to the paper.

The ruling may have an effect on the controversial case of a disabled 22-year-old Orlando woman who was also raped while under the care of Florida child-welfare authorities.

As WorldNetDaily reported, Gov. Jeb Bush intervened in the case, requesting a guardian be appointed to represent the interests of the unborn baby.

His involvement came after officials with the Department of Children & Families, or DCF, initially filed an emergency petition asking a circuit judge in Orlando to appoint separate guardians for the woman and the child, but later dropped the request, citing a 1989 Florida Supreme Court ruling in a landmark abortion-rights case.

Bush, who opposes abortion, overruled the agency and ordered lawyers to seek a guardian for the unborn baby.

"Given the facts of this case, it is entirely appropriate that an advocate be appointed to represent the unborn child's best interests in all decisions," Bush said in a statement. "While others may interpret this case in light of their own positions, we see it as the singular tragedy it is, and remain focused on serving the best interests of this particular victim and her unborn child."

The ACLU, along with the National Organization for Women and Center for Reproductive Rights, filed a court brief asking the court to deny the governor's request, claiming such a judgment would go against precedent that a "fetus" is not a person.

Previous article:

Governor seeks guardian for unborn baby


TOPICS: Breaking News; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: abortion; abortionlist; democrats; disabled; fetus; florida; jebbush; nhs; prolife
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 181-195 next last
To: cgk
* "A woman saying "my baby no more" may very well be a question, not a statement of "choice." *

My thoughts exactly.

And I thought the reason the judge appointed guardians was because this mentally impaired woman did not have the cognitive capability to make decisions for herself?!

"Yesterday, the woman's newly appointed guardians asked the court to decide the fate of the 23-week-old unborn baby.

Lewis Fogle, the woman's court-appointed attorney, told Circuit Judge Arthur Rothenberg that after looking into the case and communicating with her as much as he could, he concluded she wanted an abortion."

41 posted on 05/23/2003 6:11:09 PM PDT by getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: HairOfTheDog
They may decide that the other side appears to care more... It is important.

So, we need to "spin" this so "we" look "compassionate" to the "other side"?

Is that the "important" thing off this?

Lord have mercy.

42 posted on 05/23/2003 6:13:30 PM PDT by don-o (FR is here because Freepers pay in cash. No Freeploaders.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: dogbyte12
I didn't mean to offend you. I apologize if I implied anything to that extent. I was not referring to you as one who advocates killing the unborn. More like the media, NOW, liberal judges, etc.

I understand completely your points. This disabled woman's mother has the right to be her advocate. If it were me, I would just trust God.

I respect that in these rare instances, there could be exceptions to a law against abortion. I was just saying that for me it would never be an option.
43 posted on 05/23/2003 6:13:44 PM PDT by A-teamMom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: cgk
Welcome to China.
44 posted on 05/23/2003 6:15:34 PM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dogbyte12
Pray for this mother, this daughter, and pray to God that this rapist is caught

Can we pray for the tissue mass that is expanding in her, too?

45 posted on 05/23/2003 6:17:15 PM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: HairOfTheDog
The medications she is on very well may lead to a deformed baby

Fear is a poor excuse for abortion, IMO.

46 posted on 05/23/2003 6:18:36 PM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: dogbyte12
You ask at what statistical level of risk should the life of the Mother be all-encompassing. Have you stopped to consider that there is a second individual human being to be killed in the abortion? At what statistical level should that individual life be passed over and death ordered?

You are right, this is a most difficult set of circumstances, but to have faith that the medical personnel treating her are skilled enough to determine the risk factors and the point at which death of the unborn is warranted is preferrable. Consider that the medical personnel know at what stage in womb life the baby is a minor threat and at what stage the baby's size and life support needs will endanger the Mother. This is not a determination being made in a vacuum. At six months from conception the baby can be brought into the world and has not reached a size which overly burdens the Mother's organs. This woman is to have TWO medical procedures which will require anesthesia, so why not make one of them a balancing act that can save the already alive baby waiting to be born?

BTW, the words quoted from the pregnant woman, if taken compeletely as posted are undecipherable, don't indicate her state of mind toward the alive baby. Interpretation would require more context, for credulity. I'm wondering what the Judge sees that would over-ride the medical decisions made by competent physicians treating the woman, who had already put off a scheduled abortion?

47 posted on 05/23/2003 6:24:43 PM PDT by MHGinTN (If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote Life Support for others.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: dogbyte12
But how is abortion safer?
48 posted on 05/23/2003 6:25:36 PM PDT by Mfkmmof4
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: RedBloodedAmerican
During both of my pregnancies, I was monitored very closely by a perinatologist due to my being diagnosed as having a "high-risk" pregnancy.

Some of the women I met at my appointments were "high risk" because of the class of medications they were taking to control their pre-existing medical conditions. I met several women diagnosed with seizure disorders, epilepsy, etc. who went on to have healthy babies.
49 posted on 05/23/2003 6:29:22 PM PDT by getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: Salvation; cherry_bomb88
The more society wants to help the disabled the more leary I have become.

Things are getting worse for those suffering most.

Prayer going up as always.
50 posted on 05/23/2003 6:38:45 PM PDT by oceanperch (King Vanity's Birthday)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Salvation; cherry_bomb88
The more society wants to help the disabled the more leary I have become.

Things are getting worse for those suffering most.

Prayer going up as always.
51 posted on 05/23/2003 6:39:55 PM PDT by oceanperch (King Vanity's Birthday)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Salvation; cherry_bomb88
The more society wants to help the disabled the more leary I have become.

Things are getting worse for those suffering most.

Prayer going up as always.
52 posted on 05/23/2003 6:40:56 PM PDT by oceanperch (King Vanity's Birthday)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dogbyte12
Pray for this mother, this daughter, and pray to God that this rapist is caught.

If a prayer has been answered here it is the prayer of the dedicated baby-killers; this is that 1 in 50,000,000 case they have been supposing all these drear years since 1972 when this heinous business started, a pregnancy caused by rape to a mentally-deficient breeding age female with multiple complications caused by her underlying physical condition and a willing judge crass enough to stand and deny God face-to-face; yes, prayers are involved here but they involve a far darker side of Heaven than Hell could otherwise make clear to a now uncaring, sated public.

Bring on the clowns.

53 posted on 05/23/2003 6:41:17 PM PDT by Old Professer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN
This is a normally developing fetus we are discussing here, a potential human being one step away from Solomon's master or the depths of the closest Demsey Dumpster; forget the sorry sack of shit who got this poor thing pregnant, we're fighting here for the very humanity of the entire race.
54 posted on 05/23/2003 6:46:51 PM PDT by Old Professer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: HairOfTheDog
Careful as a mother and careprovider for 24yrs of a birth trauma son I am happy to have him here today and he loves life despite the tubes/pain and hassles to stay here.

The libs would love for me to turn him over the one of their group "death camps" home. It would free me they say Hey I am free....

55 posted on 05/23/2003 6:47:38 PM PDT by oceanperch (King Vanity's Birthday 24today wants to live to 100)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: cgk
Jeb Bush made a mistake by getting involved in the case.
56 posted on 05/23/2003 6:48:36 PM PDT by montag813
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cgk
This time I can't agree with you. It probably hurt her a lot to make this decision. Imagine a 4 year old going through childbirth. She is not a soul-less anything...she's between a rock and a hard place, and is trying to make the best choice for her daughter under these circumstances.

Epilepsy medications DO cause severe birth defects. And I gather that nobody knew she was pregnant in her crucial first months.

But it is awful that this waited so LONG. This is an almost viable baby now, and if it is not so grossly deformed that it cannot survive, and if the mother's life is not immediately endangered, they are making a terribly, terribly wrong decision.

57 posted on 05/23/2003 6:49:14 PM PDT by ChemistCat (Disney won't see another cent of our money.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: cgk
Is this the SCOFLAWS legislating from the bench again?
58 posted on 05/23/2003 6:49:22 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cgk
Never apologize for your heart, only your mouth; this is a far more important case than Roe vs Wade; those who fail to see that will be spectators soon.
59 posted on 05/23/2003 6:50:03 PM PDT by Old Professer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: oceanperch
**The more society wants to help the disabled the more leary I have become.

Things are getting worse for those suffering most.

Prayer going up as always.**

Amen!
60 posted on 05/23/2003 6:50:43 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 181-195 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson