Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita will investigate the license of a physician who performed an abortion on a 10-year-old rape victim from Ohio.
Indiana obstetrician-gynecologist Caitlin Bernard publicly shared that she performed the procedure on the victim who was banned from having an abortion in her home state due to its six-week abortion ban. Bernard was made aware of the case by her colleague, a child abuse doctor in Ohio. The procedure was performed in Indiana on June 30th.
Rokita slammed Bernard, who some have hailed as a hero. During his appearance on Fox News Wednesday, he said that Bernard is an “abortion activist acting as a doctor.” Rokita claimed that she has a history of not reporting abortions, which is a crime in the state of Indiana. Bernard is now at risk of losing her license.
Despite Rokita’s probe, the doctor followed all necessary reporting steps. In documents obtained by The Indianapolis Star, Bernard indeed reported the child’s abortion by filing a form through the Indiana Department of Health and the Department of Child Services. Bernard noted that the 10-year-old had been sexually abused. The document was filled out two days after the abortion was completed, which complies with Indiana law notification requirement for all patients under age 16. Still, Rokita is determined to take action against Bernard.
“We’re gathering the evidence as we speak, and we’re going to fight this to the end, including looking at her licensure if she failed to report,” Rokita told Fox News.
Gerson Fuentes of Columbus has since been arrested for sexually abusing the girl, which he confessed happened at least twice. The 27-year-old has been charged with first-degree rape.
The story made national headlines and heated up the abortion rights battle. President Joe Biden slammed the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, noting cases such as this one where abortion is necessary yet difficult to obtain.
“Just imagine being that little girl,” he stated Friday. Many abortion activists have expressed anger over the child being unable to receive an abortion in Ohio despite being a rape victim who was impregnated at age nine and only recently turned ten.
