Key details about the shocking Nebraska abortion case involving a sentenced teenager.
The Controversial Sentencing in an Abortion-Related Case
The recent sentencing of a Nebraska teenager and her mother in an abortion-related case has captured nationwide attention. This case has become a focal point for both abortion rights activists and anti-abortion activists, sparking a heated debate about the criminalization of abortion and the protection of unborn children.
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Abortion rights activists are using this case as an example to highlight the potential dangers of criminalizing abortion, especially in the aftermath of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court case. They argue that women may face prosecution for seeking abortions in the future.
On the other hand, anti-abortion activists are drawing attention to the disturbing details of the case to emphasize the need for legal protections for unborn children.
Let’s delve into the complexities of this case:
The Controversial News
Celeste Burgess, a 19-year-old from Norfolk, recently accepted a plea bargain that includes 90 days in jail and two years of probation. She was charged with concealing human remains, but other charges, such as concealing a death and falsely reporting to the police, were dropped.
Her mother, Jessica Burgess, aged 42, is awaiting sentencing on September 22. She faces charges for providing abortion pills to a minor and facilitating an abortion after the 20-week gestation period, which was the law at that time. If convicted, she could be sentenced to up to five years in prison.
The Facts of the Case
Interestingly, this case did not initially begin as an investigation into an illegal abortion. The police started looking into the Burgesses after receiving a tip in April 2022, suggesting that they had disposed of an infant corpse in their backyard. When questioned, the Burgesses admitted to burying the body of a stillborn infant.
During the investigation, local authorities requested Facebook to provide private messages between the Burgesses. These messages revealed that Celeste Burgess, who was 17 at the time, had discussed with her mother a plan to perform an abortion using pills obtained online and then “burn the evidence.”
Only after reviewing these messages did the investigation shift towards an illegal abortion case, with Jessica Burgess being charged as the supplier of the abortion pills. Court records indicate that the child was at 28 weeks gestation, well beyond the legal limit of 20 weeks for abortion in Nebraska. Additionally, evidence of ”thermal injuries” was found on the exhumed remains of the child.
Abortion Rights Advocates’ Perspective
Abortion rights advocates have strongly criticized the prosecution of Celeste Burgess, viewing it as an attack on abortion-seekers. Elizabeth Ling, from If/When/How, a legal hotline for abortion-seekers, argues that this case contributes to a “climate of fear” surrounding abortion and accuses Nebraska prosecutors of using their laws for political purposes.
Democratic influencer Harry Sisson, aged 20, expressed his outrage, stating, “A teen doesn’t want to be a mother, and for that, Republicans send her to jail. This cruelty needs to end.”
Some advocates are even using this case to support the defunding of the police. Eric Reinhart, a political anthropologist at Harvard University, believes that the “criminalization of abortion and war against bodily autonomy” will worsen as prominent Democrats distance themselves from defunding the police.
Anti-Abortion Advocates’ Perspective
Following the recent Supreme Court case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade, a coalition of 70 anti-abortion organizations penned an open letter to state lawmakers. They urged lawmakers not to criminalize abortion for women seeking the procedure but rather focus on holding abortion providers accountable.
Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life, emphasized the need for compassion and support for women who have abortions, rather than criminalization.
Anti-abortion advocates often highlight that pre-Roe era laws targeted the individuals performing the procedure, not the women seeking abortions. They argue that these laws aimed to protect vulnerable women from being taken advantage of by unscrupulous providers.
The Uniqueness of this Abortion Case
This case stands out due to the gestational age of the child involved. Infants born alive prematurely at 28 weeks have a high survival rate of 80%-90%, with a low risk of long-term health problems. Even infants delivered at 32 weeks have over a 95% chance of survival with minimal health complications.
It is worth noting that less than 1% of abortions are performed after 21 weeks, and abortions performed after 24 weeks are commonly referred to as “late-term abortions.” These procedures involve a dilation and extraction (D and E) method, where the abortionist snips the child’s spinal cord before delivery.
The majority of abortions in the United States occur before 13 weeks gestation, with the majority being chemical abortions conducted before nine weeks. The most common form of medication abortion in the U.S. involves a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol.
Mifepristone blocks hormones necessary for fetal development, while misoprostol induces contractions to expel the fetus. The FDA has approved the use of mifepristone for pregnancies up to 10 weeks gestation. However, misoprostol alone is not cleared by the FDA as a sole abortifacient agent.
For more information on this topic, click here to read more from the Washington Examiner.
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