Texas Woman Files Lawsuit After Being Jailed on Murder Charge for Self-Managed Abortion

Lizelle Gonzalez, a Texas woman, has filed a lawsuit against prosecutors and a local sheriff after being wrongfully charged with murder for self-managing her abortion. The Star County resident spent two nights in jail before the charges were dismissed. Gonzalez’s civil rights complaint alleges that her private medical information was unlawfully shared, leading to her arrest and subsequent humiliation.

The incident began when Gonzalez visited an emergency room in January 2022 after using misoprostol, a medication used for abortion, while 19 weeks pregnant. Although initially discharged after an examination showed a fetal heartbeat, Gonzalez was readmitted hours later with severe pain and bleeding. Doctors found no fetal cardiac activity, and she delivered a stillborn child via cesarean section.

Gonzalez’s lawsuit claims that hospital staff improperly shared her medical information with Starr County prosecutors and the sheriff, resulting in her wrongful arrest. Under Texas law, women seeking abortions are not criminalized; the state’s abortion bans target medical professionals and those aiding in the procedure. Despite this, Gonzalez was charged, detained, and held on a $500,000 bond before the charges were dropped.

Gonzalez alleges they violated her Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights by using misleading information to secure her indictment. She is seeking over $1 million in damages, claiming the ordeal caused her significant emotional distress and damaged her reputation.