By Tim Waggoner
ARLINGTON, VA, May 29, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – On February 12, 2008, a women filed a lawsuit against Planned Parenthood Metropolitan located in Washington, D.C., for damages suffered during an abortion procedure at a Planned Parenthood centre.
Emma Jean Butler, mother of Shantese Butler, is suing Planned Parenthood for $50 million dollars in damages. Butler took her daughter to the D.C. Planned Parenthood on September 7, 2006 to abort a child conceived in rape. During the abortion, Shantese sustained severe abdominal bleeding, severe vaginal injury, severe injury to the cervix, significant uterine perforation, and a small bowel tear. In addition, parts of the child were found inside Shantese’s abdomen on September 8, 2006. Because of these injuries, Shantese will be infertile for the rest of her life.
Planned Parenthood Metropolitan has denied the injuries suffered and the infertility of Shantese Butler. In addition, they state in their answer that Butler’s claims are barred by the doctrines of informed consent and assumption of risk.
Kristan Hawkins, Students for Life of America’s Executive Director, remarked, “This is a horrible situation. Our thoughts go out to Shantese and her family as she recovers from her injuries both from the rape and abortion. Further, it is outrageous that Planned Parenthood thinks they are excused from being held liable because Shantese was informed of possible risks associated with abortion. In no other medical profession would this be acceptable. How ironic is it that the pro-abortion movement claims they want abortions to be ‘safe, legal, and rare,’ when in this poster case for abortion, Shantese was permanently injured, resulting in infertility for the rest of her life, making abortion harmful and almost deadly to the young girl.”