Posted on 02/23/2008 3:16:44 AM PST by bad company
An artist killed herself after aborting her twins when she was eight weeks pregnant, leaving a note saying: "I should never have had an abortion. I see now I would have been a good mum."
Emma Beck was found hanging at her home in Helston, Cornwall, on Feb 1 2007. She was declared dead early the following day - her 31st birthday.
Her suicide note read: "I told everyone I didn't want to do it, even at the hospital. I was frightened, now it is too late. I died when my babies died. I want to be with my babies: they need me, no-one else does."
The inquest at Truro City Hall heard that Miss Beck had split up with her boyfriend, referred to as "Ben" after he "reacted badly" to the pregnancy.
She saw her GP before the termination, but missed an appointment at a hospital in Penzance. She then cancelled, but later turned up to an appointment at a clinic at Royal Cornwall Hospital in Treliske. The counsellor was on holiday so a doctor referred Miss Beck to a pregnancy counselling telephone service eight days before carrying out the abortion when she was eight weeks pregnant, the inquest heard.
The coroner, Dr Emma Carlyon, ordered that the identities of the doctor who performed the abortion and her lead consultant be kept secret.
The inquest heard that Sylvia Beck, the victim's mother, wrote to the hospital after her daughter's death, saying: "I want to know why she was not given the opportunity to see a counsellor.
"She was only going ahead with the abortion because her boyfriend did not want the twins.
"I believe this is what led Emma to take her own life - she could not live with what she had done."
The doctor said: "I discussed Emma's situation with her, and wrote on the form, 'Unsupported, lives alone, ex-partner aware'.
"It is normal practice to give a woman the number for telephone counselling when a counsellor is not available.
"I am satisfied that everything was done to make sure that Emma consented to the operation.
She added: "We have since appointed more counsellors so there is more holiday cover."
Katie Gibbs, Miss Beck's GP, told the hearing: "She was extremely distressed by the abortion procedure, and I didn't think she ever came to terms with it.
"She had a long history of anxiety and depression. Despite my best efforts, she was not willing to see a counsellor after the termination."
Her boss at the clinic, said: "The time that can be given to a woman by a counsellor is limited in a busy hospital.
"I am satisfied everything was done to make sure Emma was consenting to surgery. I don't feel there was any gap in the counselling service.
"There were lots of individuals who would be alert to any doubts. The comments made by Emma's mother are not about a doctor I recognise."
Mrs Beck told the court: "Emma was considered a talented artist, and sold a number of paintings.
"She was pleased when she became pregnant, but Ben reacted badly to the news."
Recording a verdict of suicide, Dr Carlyon said: "It is clear that a termination can have a profound effect on a woman's life.
"But I am reassured by the evidence of the doctors here."
What a sad story. I hope this poor soul has found some kind of peace.
May her butcher accomplices be tormented by the blood on their hands until the day they die.
You are 100%.
Crack open that Bible gathering dust
Whether one gets to visit the gates of Hell or the Pearly gates is not dependent on what you do, your works, but on Whom you believe.
Your sins and her sins are of equal weight before the eyes of God.
Don't be so quick to judge her, you have no idea on her spiritual condition
Absolutely horrible. Just horrible. Words fail me.
I’m not sure you’ve understood my post. God is the one we must all stand before, not Peter. (Christ said “All judgment has been given to me...”—not Peter.) This was my point.
As to my judging her, this was not the direction in which my comment was going. A later post expressed the exact thought you challenged me with (I do not know her spiritual condition.) I was making a point, though, about the spiritual condition necessary in order to enter into His kingdom and not be cast out from it.
Sorry if you’ve misunderstood me.
Someone who takes their own life as a result of guilt over some deed they did is, as you point out, about as remorseful a sinner as I can think of.
There are only two suicides in the entire Bible. I can’t help but feel if it were an unpardonable act that God would have taken pains to make it more obvious that it is. The Bible tells us more than once that God is not willing for anyone to be lost, that it’s His will everyone be saved, and then goes on to tell us how patient he is with regard to giving a person time to reconsider a life of sin.
Frankly, I would rather be in the Mom’s shoes at the Pearly Gates than in the shoes of the people who did the abortion.
Apparently, marriage is a thing of the past. These people are selfish children.
I’d hate to me in my shoes on judgment day. Fortunately, a friend is standing in for me. I’ve done a few bad things in my life.
Abortion leaves nothing but dead and wounded in its path.
Don’t they promise women liberation from their troubles?
An effort must be made to find this "Ben" and hound him into madness.
She didn't "kill her children"...didn't you read the article? The "Doctor" said it was just "an operation". So she must have been just providing for the heath care needs of her fetuses, right?
Not executioners. Murderers.
Britons are thirsty for Christ, but the State does everything possible to suppress Christianity and boost Islam, Anglican leaders proclaim the coming of Sharia, and Muslims are given welfare for multiple wives.
What a sad story. This probably happens far more often than is ever reported.
Prayers for that poor woman and for her “boyfriend” - that he will repent.
It also lets men off th hook. Her “lover” is still alive, and will live to knock up more women, and he will object to other women having his children. Before abortion was legal, guys married the women. Not now. Did these two stupes every think about using protection?
It sounds like Britain needs a number of Ugandan and Nigerian missionaries, then.
Ben isn't the first guy to run out on his obligations, but he didn't cause any abortions. When you state she "was forced to kill her children," you lie. Maybe that rationalization works for you but it is damaging to civilization to distort reality that way.
No one put a gun to this woman's head. Her own mental problems contributed to her failure to protect her young from herself, but the decision was her responibility. The availability of "doctors" and "counsellors" to collude with and encourage her decision only provided opportunity for her to do what she wanted to do at the time.
That poor woman.
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