GRANITE CITY, March 24 2005, (LifeSiteNews.com) – An Illinois woman was arrested today after trying to remove her 14 year-old daughter from an abortion clinic where she had been brought by the mother of the man who impregnated her. The girl and her parents had been involved in a dispute with the baby’s father, a sixteen-year old boy and his parents. The boy and his parents wanted to abort the baby but the girl, who had undergone an ultrasound, decided to keep the baby whom she had already named.
According to pro-life activist, Jill Stanek, on the morning of March 17, the girl was taken out of school by a woman who claimed to be her grandmother though the school had been warned not to release the girl to anyone but her parents or grandfather. The ‘grandmother’ took the girl to Hope Clinic, an abortion facility in Granite City. The girl’s mother was close behind. She told the Illinois Leader, “My husband and I rushed to the abortion clinic where we saw our daughter’s name on the roster and the time she had checked in.” The receptionist, however denied the girl was there. After searching for her daughter, she demanded to be allowed to speak with her.
The mother said, “I was told I could not prove my daughter was there so I began calling her name. A medical tech at the clinic told me , ‘It’s your daughter’s rights, it’s her body. You have no rights.’” When the mother persisted in calling out her daughter’s name the police were called and she was arrested.
While this was going on, the daughter could hear her mother calling and when she asked staff to relay a message, she was told her mother had left.
A pro-life activist who was present said that as she was being arrested, the girl’s mother was begging police to help retrieve her daughter. Angela Michaels, of Small Victories Ministry, said “Exactly one hour later at 10:35 a.m., the 14-year old emerged from the clinic looking disheveled. The 14-year old told us that employees kept her in a quiet room until the procedure was performed and she was told that her mother had left.”
While this was going on, witnesses say, the ‘grandmother’ was slipped out the back door by staff of the facility.
Illinois is one of 17 states that have no laws requiring parental notification of abortion for a minor. The girl’s parents are expected to press charges.
Read Jill Stanek’s account on WorldNetDaily.
Those wishing to express concerns may write the local papers or the abortion clinic:
St. Louis Post Dispatch: [email protected]
Belleville News Democrat: [email protected]
The abortion clinic [email protected]