The media has dismissed Donald Trump’s characterization of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s comments at a rally in Wisconsin as “incendiary falsehood on abortion.” At the rally, Trump said, “The baby is born. The mother meets with the doctor. They take care of the baby. They wrap the baby beautifully, and then the doctor and the mother determine whether or not they will execute the baby. I don’t think so.” But while Trump’s description of doctors “executing” babies could be seen by some as incendiary, his claim is not a falsehood.
Data show that babies are born alive in attempted abortions, and the Centers for Disease Control estimates that at least 143 babies died after being born in attempted abortions between 2003 and 2014. The actual number, experts say, is likely much higher (reporting of abortion-related statistics in the U.S. is voluntary). In addition to this data, the abortion industry has information in plain sight suggesting that routine abortion procedures may result in babies being born alive and left to “expire.” According to abortionist and abortion business websites, babies are born alive in attempted abortions; according to evidence, when they are born alive they are denied potentially life-saving medical care and left to die.
Have babies actually been “executed” after abortions failed?
Abortionist Kermit Gosnell is currently serving life in prison for killing newborns by cutting their spinal cords with a pair of scissors, among other crimes. This would accurately be described as “executing” newborn babies delivered in failed abortions.
In another documented incident, a baby girl was born alive in a Florida abortion clinic. After she lay on the floor kicking, an abortion facility owner threw the newborn into a biohazard bag where she died. Authorities investigated and performed an autopsy on the baby girl after an anonymous abortion worker sent a tip to the police. As Sarah Terzo noted, “This incident of an abortion live birth only came to light because one person with a conscience chose to inform the authorities. How many other times have things like this happened and been hidden?” This seems to qualify as an execution.
Florida has several other cases that indicate babies have been born alive and left to die. A disturbing case in 2005 involved a woman named “Angele” who underwent an abortion at 22 weeks at one of the clinics of notorious abortionist James Pendergraft. During the procedure at the EPOC Clinic for Women in Orlando, Angele’s baby boy, whom she named Rowan, was allegedly born alive. According to Angele and her friend who called 911, Rowan was delivered into a toilet and facility staff refused to provide medical care or allow emergency personnel on the premises, despite the fact that Rowan was moving and was clearly alive. Rowan passed away and the abortion facility faced no disciplinary action for his death.
When even the abortionist warns your baby could be born alive by accident, you know it happens
On the website for the abortion chain once run by Pendergraft, the description of procedures offered include a “medical abortion pill procedure” administered up to 24 weeks, or 28 weeks if women meet the legal criteria. According to the website, despite the fact that the RU-486 abortion pill is only approved for use up to 10 weeks of pregnancy, Pendergraft’s facilities administer the abortion pill along with drugs to induce labor between three and 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Pendergraft’s abortion business, which has advertised abortions up to 28 weeks — the third trimester, as Pendergraft apparently offered this procedure even for extremely late-term abortions According to the website, “The abortion pill procedure can be performed after fetal viability (further than 22 to 24 weeks though viability [sic] based on individual basis) or the third trimester of pregnancy (28 weeks or further) if the pregnancy is a threat to the mother’s life or health, significant fetal abnormality, genetic defect, rape or incest.” The abortion business claims this labor induction method of late-term medical abortion was developed by Pendergraft in the 1990s.
![](https://www.liveaction.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/abortion-pill-induce-labor-pendergraft.jpg)
Screenshot from Women’s Center
Furthermore, Pendergraft’s late-term abortion business claims to use this disturbing method for “99% of second trimester and late-term procedures at the Women’s Centers Abortion Clinic offices.” Elsewhere on the website, there is a disclaimer that reads, “If the child is born alive, the attending physicians have the legal obligation to take all reasonable steps necessary to maintain the life and health of the child.”
But unfortunately, while this may be in writing, this obligation hasn’t been followed at Pendergraft’s facilities. As mentioned, baby Rowan, allegedly born alive, died in his mother’s arms in a bathroom at Pendergraft’s facility, with no assistance given or allowed.
In another place, the website states, “If the labor induction method is used, there is a small chance that the baby could live for a short period of time.” What, then, actually happens to babies accidentally born alive?
![](https://www.liveaction.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/pendergraft-clinic-born-alive-screenshot-2.jpg)
“Baby could be born alive” (Women’s Center website)
![](https://www.liveaction.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/pendergraft-clinic-screenshot-born-alive.jpg)
“What if the fetus is viable?” (Women’s Center)
One abortion patient at Pendergraft’s Orlando Women’s Center left the facility mid-procedure. She later went to a hospital where her daughter was delivered via caesarian section. Today that baby girl is 17 years old. How many of Pendergraft’s abortion patients would have children alive today if they had left his notorious facility before delivery? How many more babies like Rowan have died in Pendergraft’s facility?
A recent Swedish study shows that babies born at 22 weeks who were given medical care had a survival rate of 58%. Babies like Rowan are not “imaginary,” and they are not “non-viable.” Denying infants born alive in attempted abortions life-sustaining care is a form of execution.
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