Friday, November 03, 2006

Baby Girl killed after botched abortion

This is so sad. So little regard for human life or suffering.

The warrant says that the staff “began screaming that the baby was alive.” Then, “Ms. Belkis Gonzalez cut the umbilical cord, threw it into a red bag with black printing. Ms. Gonzalez then swept the baby, with her hands, into the same red bag along with the gauze used during the procedure.”

Eight days later, police found the body of the child which Rojas had informed them had been treated with a caustic chemical and left in the heat of the Florida sun to accelerate decomposition in a possible attempt to dispose of the evidence.

God help us all.


* * * *

BTW, here is a more upbeat story about abortion survivor, Gianna Jessen.

"My biological mother thought she was making a decision affecting only her. If abortion is merely about women's rights, then what were mine?"




29 comments:

Sara said...

There is no suffering if you can't tell the doctor where it hurts!

Mother PUCKER!!!!

Joanne (True Blue) said...

???

Anonymous said...

My god, that's horrible. People are sick...

Joanne (True Blue) said...

It's barbaric. Hard to believe something like that can happen in Western 'civilization'.

Sara said...

I'm just angrily saying what the idiot doctors were probably thinking... sarcastically


I'm pissed this is sick..

Red Tory said...

Disgusting.

Important however to distinguish between abortion and murder in this instance.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

RT - That's true, but I wonder how much of that happens here, without it even being considered 'murder' since we have no laws.

counter-coulter said...

This is pretty old news. Looks like the police and the prosecutors are handling it correctly. The clinic gave up their license and its being investigated for possible homicide charges. What else would you have them do?

Jacques Beau Vert said...

I'm extremely uncomfortable with late-term abortions... once it becomes "preemie" age I become very squirmy about the issue.

counter-coulter said...

Jason Bo Green said...
I'm extremely uncomfortable with late-term abortions... once it becomes "preemie" age I become very squirmy about the issue.


I think that's kind of the point in LifeSite (and other pro-life sites) recirculating this article. To get people upset and angry about abortions only 5 days before a mid-term election.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Jason, I'm with you on this one.

CC - Thanks for that link. It is an interesting case. They talk about "viability" and so on. Funny how we don't even consider that here.

I wonder what the laws are in Canada regarding attempted abortions where the baby survives the procedure.

Red Tory said...

The focus on "late term" abortions and malfeasance such as this does create a distorted picture and verges on fear-mongering.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

RT - Yes, we should think about the sensibilities of those poor medical workers who had to witness that fetal matter breathe for a while. I'm sure it was very traumatic. How dare that tissue frighten them like that!

Anonymous said...

Of course it's for the US election. The only new news is the Operation Rescue report published last week.

If the baby managed to exit its mother's body alive, i.e. be born, then by me definition, you have a murder.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

If the baby managed to exit its mother's body alive, i.e. be born, then by me definition, you have a murder.

Yes, that pesky fetal tissue sometimes is very uncooperative.

Red Tory said...

Well Vicki you can facetiously twist my words all you want, I still think that focusing on late-term abortions and exceptional situations such as this presents a distorted picture that’s designed to advance your “pro-life” anti-abortion agenda. No one could condone the callous medical malpractice involved in this instance and I would also venture to say that most people, myself included, who support the reproductive rights of women find late-term abortions to be distasteful and only approve of them in extreme cases of medical necessity. If this is considered “irresponsible societal degradation” well so be it. How would you like me to retail any number of stories where young mothers have willfully destroyed their babies or discarded them because of the shame they felt at having them out of wedlock or the rejection they’d be subjected to by their fundamentalist parents. Are those “family values” improving our society? Give me a break.

Anonymous said...

I am only posting as anonymous here for the purposes of confidentiality. I have posted on this blog before along with many other blogs.

This child was not viable. While it is true that the clinic was not compassionate, this is not a case of murder. I work as a flight paramedic. On a call, I will not say when, I went for a woman in premature labor. She delivered a 22 weeker about 5 minutes after we arrived. The child was alive, appeared to be trying to breath but didn't have the ability to. We moved the child away from the mother so she would not witness the 500g child die. Then we cleaned the child up, wrapped the child in a blanket and let the mother see and hold the child. It's chances of survival being born in a specialist center were maybe 5% at best (I say that because the article counter coulter points out mentions 5%. I doubt that is the reality. The UK says their survival rate at 22 wks is less than 1%, Harvard medical says the same, so while the most specialized centers MIGHT have a 5% survival rate anywhere else is less than 1%). It's chances of survival outside of such a centre are zero.

Seriously, what were they supposed to do? They would not have the equipment to resusitate or maintain the life of this child. A land ambulance, air ambulance or smaller hospital would not have the equipment to resusitate or keep alive this child even for a couple minutes. No clinic, ambulance or smaller hospital could possibly keep such a child alive long enough for transportation to a facility which could care for such high risk premature infants. Their lungs have no surfactant yet, if they are developed at all. Oxygen destroys their retinas. Their skin has no ability to fight of any kind of infection. It is very likely that their heart is not developed enough to make the changes which occur at birth and are required to received oxygenated blood from the lungs instead of through the umbilical cord. So even if their heart is pumping fine, it will only continue to pump the same unoxygenated blood around the body.
The rest of the organs do not have the ability to function properly yet. They need specialized care the minute they are born if their is to be even the tiniest hope of survival.

"RT - Yes, we should think about the sensibilities of those poor medical workers who had to witness that fetal matter breathe for a while. I'm sure it was very traumatic. How dare that tissue frighten them like that!"

I can tell you Joanne that watching a child die (or anyone die for that matter) knowing that you are helpless to do anything about it is probably the most traumatic thing in the world. While it is true that these people work at an abortion clinic, I still doubt that it was easy for any of them.

People can debate whether or not abortion should or should not be legal. People can debate at what stage of gestation abortion should or should not be legal. But, in this case there was no chance of survival. That is the reality.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Anon - Thanks for the first hand experience. Very interesting.

I just have to think that your situation of trying to save a human life would have to be somewhat different from those employed to ensure that the life was snuffed out.

Are you from Canada or the U.S.?

Jacques Beau Vert said...

Alright, anonymous - your story convinces me well enough, you are clearly an expert and I defer to you.

I am uncomfortable with late-term abortions, and I don't think they're a distraction, I think it's a legitimate discussion. But I absolutely believe your professional opinion that the child was not viable (and I'm glad you shared it).

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Jason, I agree that 20, 22, or 24 weeks is a big difference from 8 months or whatever. I am bewildered how this is such a big deal in Florida, yet here that would mean nothing.

How is it that a state gets to decide when human life is viable; and when it is a crime to terminate it?

Anonymous said...

Most pro-choicers believe in early first trimester abortions. Once the child has begun to develop beyond this, the gray area of "rights" begins to become more and more disagreeable with regards to the mother.

Red Tory said...

Anon -- Thanks for the expert clarification. I always find these "Lifesite" news stories to be a little suspect.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Anon -- Thanks for the expert clarification.

Yes, someone who posts as "anonymous" is without a doubt the source of highest authority.

Anonymous said...

Joanne - I am from Canada.

JBG - "But I absolutely believe your professional opinion that the child was not viable"

Well thankfully I didn't have to make the decision completely on my own. I was on the phone with two doctors before, during and after the delivery, one who was the specialist from the site where we were hoping to get her to before she delivered. He had me describe the state of development and ensured me that there was no chance that the child could survive to the aircraft, let alone all the way to his facility. He, of course, had years of experience dealing with this kind of situation. So he could remain very level-headed as I was freaking out. When you are in the situation you are looking for anything or anyway to keep this child alive.

As for posting as anonymous, I appoligize for that. I decided that I could not use my handle. Technically confidentiality laws and rules would only be broken if I was to give personal information of the patient such as the name of the mother. But, I try to ensure the confidentiality of the patient further by also not giving personal information of myself or the location where I work and thereby the area where the patient lives as well.

Red Tory said...

Joanne -- I think Anon made it pretty clear why he/she was posting this way, so it seems like kind of a cheap shot to attempt to discredit this person on this basis. Why not deal with the issues raised instead?

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Anon - Thanks for your explanation. You can always sign in as "other" and pick a handle, such as "paramed" or whatever to distinguish yourself from any other "anon". Anyway, I don't doubt your story. I was just surprised that others would accept your definition of viablility as gospel truth.

On the other hand, it is interesting that Red Tory did, because he has shown himself to be quite black & white on the issue.

BTW Red, that was one of your best posts. Didn't agree with it of course, but it was very well done.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

DBT - Hoo haw!! Glad you're back! Please join in.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

jason...'squirming' is evidence that you have a conscience.

Right on! It is a sign of a higher moral development. If it causes you to be uncomfortable, that is a good thing.

Anonymous said...

Yes, anon the paramedic sounds very credible.

I did not think "that sounds like selective reporting" or "that sounds like the facts are being tortured to fit some political position" and go googling, as I usually do when I follow a link that ends up at such places as lifesite.