A teenage girl in Florida defied her family to choose life after an abortion appointment was booked against her will.
The 17-year-old’s boyfriend contacted pro-life group Liberty Counsel after travel arrangements were made for an out-of-state abortion to avoid Florida’s ‘heartbeat’ law, which bans abortion after six weeks. The young mother was threatened with being kicked out of her home if she did not go through with the abortion, and her phone was confiscated.
The abortion was cancelled after Liberty Counsel warned the family by letter that coerced abortion is illegal and they could be prosecuted with fetal homicide if they persisted. The teen mother gave birth to a healthy baby girl in July.
Coercion
The abortion procedure and travel arrangements were funded by the Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF), despite the organisation allegedly being told the abortion was against the mother’s wishes.
Death trafficking has no place in society
In Florida, abortion clinics are required by law to give pregnant mothers the opportunity to see ultrasound photos and video of their baby. However, CAF’s partner abortion clinic in Florida tried to avoid showing the mother the ultrasound photos by putting them in an envelope, noting: “If you see it, you’re going to want to keep it.”
The Justice Foundation’s Center Against Forced Abortions states: “Forcing a woman to have an abortion, including a minor, is illegal in all 50 states of the United States of America”.
Death trafficking
Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel’s Founder and Chairman, said: “We celebrate this baby girl who has the unalienable right to life, and we commend this baby’s young parents who courageously chose life amidst intense pressure to kill the unborn baby.
“Regardless of the circumstances, a pregnant minor possesses the same constitutional rights as any mother to care for her unborn child.
“Liberty Counsel’s rapid response saved an unborn life that was days away from being killed, and foiled the Chicago Abortion Fund from aiding and paying for a coerced out-of-state abortion meant to evade Florida’s pro-life laws.”
He continued: “Coercing minor girls across state lines against their wishes into forced abortions is illegal and reprehensible. Death trafficking has no place in society.”
Would you have the courage to choose life?
Abortion has been legal in England, Wales and Scotland since 1967, and in Northern Ireland since 2020. Women in England and Wales can now kill their babies in the womb at any time without sanction, although the 24-week limit still applies to doctors. In Scotland, abortion is legal up to 24 weeks for most reasons, while in Northern Ireland, abortion is available on demand, for any or no reason, up to twelve weeks. In all parts of the UK, abortion because of disability is allowed up to birth.
