Contact: Troy Newman, President, 316-841-1700; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor, 316-516-3034; both with Operation Rescue
GERMANTOWN, Md., Oct. 16, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Maryland Board of Physicians has decided not to take action against late-term abortionist LeRoy Carhart for the death of Jennifer Morbelli, a 29-year old woman who suffered fatal complications from a very late 33-week abortion.
"We are horrified at the decision of the Maryland Board of Physicians to let Carhart get away scot-free with Morbelli's death," said Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue. "The Board has failed in their duty to protect women from Carhart's dangerous abortion practices that have take the lives of two women, including that of Christin Gilbert in 2005. All the Board has done is ensure that Carhart will kill again."
A complaint was filed by Operation Rescue after it received detailed information about the patient death on February 7, 2013. That complaint prompted the Board's 8-month review. The Board notified Carhart of their decision to close the case without action in a letter dated October 10, 2013, according to the Washington Post.
According to an autopsy report, Morbelli died from Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation "due to or as a consequence of Amniotic Fluid Embolism following Medical Termination of Pregnancy," making it clear that the abortion was the event that led to her death. But it was Carhart's elusive behavior after the abortion that was most troublesome.
After Morbelli's abortion, while still appearing "weak and pale" according to witnesses, Carhart released her to return to her hotel. He then left town. As Morbelli's condition worsened, in the ensuing hours, Carhart could not be reached by family members or later by hospital emergency room staff.
Operation Rescue alleged in their complaint that Carhart's conduct amounted to patient abandonment, which delayed emergency care that may have saved her life.
"This tragedy was completely avoidable and illustrates the dangers of 'fly-by-night' abortionists who come into town with no hospital privileges, do dangerous abortion procedures, then fly out immediately afterwards, leaving others to clean up their messes," said Newman. "That practice must be stopped along with the below-standard practice of inducing labor on women who are nearly term, forcing them to labor without supervision in hotel rooms, then releasing them from ill-equipped abortion clinics before they have stabilized. How the Maryland Board of Physicians can accept these dangerous and shoddy practices is cause for further concern."
