By Peter J. Smith
HIALEAH, Florida, August 10, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Officials in the Florida city of Hialeah have revoked the occupational status of an abortion clinic that is the subject of a police investigation into the murder of an infant born-alive on the premises.
According to the Miami Herald, at Hialeah’s city council meeting Tuesday, city officials revoked A GYN Diagnostic Center’s occupational license, effectively putting an end to the clinic’s operations. However, the clinic pre-empted the city’s move by voluntarily surrendering its operating license to the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration, ending its ability to operate in Florida.
‘‘What led them to surrender their license, we can’t answer,’’ said Lorena Bravo, a Hialeah assistant city attorney according to the Herald.
The city acted to pull the clinic’s license over credible allegations that abortion employees murdered a child born alive in their waiting room at 23 weeks gestation. The doctor was not in the office at the time to legally kill the child before birth.
City police chief Rolando Bolanos had previously ordered the clinic closed July 29 pending a full investigation.
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The investigation began when city police received an anonymous tip that abortion clinic employees had murdered the born alive son of an 18-year-old woman who had been waiting for the abortionist to arrive on July 20. Police learned that clinic employees placed the infant in a bag, and walked away. The baby boy was found dead 9 days later in a biohazard container. (See LifeSite story here: https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jul/06073103.html )
The police and State Attorney’s office are conducting an investigation to determine whether there is enough evidence to constitute a murder charge. An autopsy has been concluded, but the results have not yet been made available to the public.
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‘‘The State Attorney’s Office is still reviewing the case, along with the Medical Examiner,’’ said Mark Overton, Hialeah’s Deputy Police Chief on Tuesday according to the Herald. “We are awaiting test results. Once they are back, they will be making a decision on what charges will be filed, if any.’‘
If there is enough evidence for trial, the employees involved may be charged with murder under Florida law on account of the protections accorded to a baby under the Born-Alive Infants Protection Law. Under the BAIPL a child born alive at any stage of development is entitled to full legal protection and all necessary medical intervention.
See LifeSite coverage on this story:
Baby Born in Waiting Room Murdered at Florida Abortion Clinic
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jul/06073103.html
See National Right to Life files on the BAIPL:
https://www.nrlc.org/Federal/Born_Alive_Infants/index.html